


Too Late To Turn Back Now

by ProstheticLoVe



Series: I Wish I Never Met You [2]
Category: Veep (TV)
Genre: Between Seasons/Series, F/M, Hate Sex, Mentions of Eating Disorder, Seasons 1-6, Secret Relationship, Sexual Tension, Smut, Spoilers, behind the scenes moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2019-08-29 12:46:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 45,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16744255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProstheticLoVe/pseuds/ProstheticLoVe
Summary: During seasons 1-6 and behind the scenes moments.“I have offered Dan a permanent post – here in the office...”And so it begins: Amy and Dan’s working relationship turned understanding turned fucked up friendship, which results in feelings that neither of them want to acknowledge or consider.Or how small moments and sexual tension have shaped Amy and Dan’s relationship.





	1. Melodrama

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: No one belongs to me! 
> 
> Part Two! I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for reading the story! And please let me know what you think! You can read this as a stand alone or check out Part One. Chapter 2 should be up soon!

“Um, Amy, yes. I wanted to talk to you about this. I have offered Dan a permanent post – here in the office.”

Dan smirked as Selina told Amy that he was _officially_ hired on. He watched in gleeful satisfaction as her back tensed up tighter than a coil. He vaguely wondered if he was going to witness Amy’s back snap.

He mentioned getting his blackberry fired up and then waited around the office for an additional few seconds to see if Amy was going to explode into a fit of rage as she processed what exactly it meant for them to work together.

He observed her as she carefully crafted her face into a neutral look and then asked to speak privately to Selina. He left the office with the rest of the drones that Selina had hired and casually began to look around to see where his desk would be.

As if to answer his unspoken question, Mike dragged him into the dredges of the office and toward a desk in the corner.

“Slick’s moving in.” Mike announced much to the dismay of the other staffers in the office.

Dan resisted rolling his eyes and sat down at the desk that Mike had deemed his. He tested out the chair and then looked over at the ancient redhead who was watching him with a calculated look.

“Why does Amy dislike you?” he asked bluntly.

Dan gave him a faux crushed look, “Amy doesn’t like me? How will I ever continue on? Show me the ways to make sure I can win her over.” Dan paused. “Listen, do you have any chairs that have a little more ergo—“

“I’ve never seen Amy hate someone so much on sight before. What did you do to her?” Mike asked suspiciously and ignoring Dan’s request for a better chair.

Dan shrugged carelessly and then eyed Mike with mildly concealed interest, “Amy didn’t mention that we dated?”

“No.”

Dan made a hmm sound and then got up from his desk; he was curious to know if Amy was still telling Selina what a shitty person he was and how she’d made a terribly mistake hiring him.

He settled himself near Sue’s meticulously organized workspace and Gary’s pointless desk to find Amy getting ready to go out with Jonah.

He laughed as she cursed at the large idiotic pointless giant named Jonad prepared to take her out on a date. If Dan wasn’t so entertained by the disgusted look on her face, maybe he would’ve picked up the uncomfortable prickle in his chest at watching Amy go out with another man. 

* * *

 

Working with Amy Brookheimer was an experience.

While her abrasive behavior and cunning actions were exactly what Dan had expected, the wide eyed looks of excitement and scowls that made her entire face scrunch up in disgust were a completely different story. He wasn’t sure what look he enjoyed on her more, but that was besides the point.          

Even though working with Amy was beneficial—he knew she was smart enough to go far, which was something he found…positive—his eye was on Selina and what she could offer his career.

The day that the Meyer Administration came into Hallows’ office, he knew that he wanted to be apart of it.

He had been following their progress for sometime and he had actually approved of some of the things they were preaching.

While clean jobs was going to sink quicker than a hypothermic seal in a pool of oil, he did think that some of the other aspects Selina supported could make her go far. It helped that she was making waves in history as the first female Vice President.

However, what really drew Dan to want to join the administration was how influential and powerful he could be if say he helped her move beyond Veep and into POTUS territory. He knew that Selina had wanted President and he doubted – especially with Amy on the team – that she’d lay down and die without campaigning again.

So when Amy had called him for a semi-favor, he wanted to jump on the opportunity to see the Meyer administration in action.

And minus the fucking bagman, they seemed to work fairly well.

Correction, Amy worked fairly well to keep them afloat.

Everyone else was pretty fucking miserable.

Except maybe Sue who seemed to be almost as competent as Amy…but that was besides the point.

But if he joined the team, then maybe he could push that proverbial boat out to sea and gain some traction.

For this reason, he was eager to impress Selina and nail down a possible job offer.

It only took a few days and some major sucking up for Selina to offer him an official position in the office.

Selina had also mentioned how dissatisfied certain staffers in the office would be when it was announced that he was joining the team.

Dan knew that meant Amy.

But when he tried to pry to learn _exactly_ what the blonde had mentioned about him, Selina had clammed up.

Which was why he spent longer than he really should’ve choosing to annoy Amy to get her to finally unleash some fury on him and give him some privy knowledge into what she’d said to Selina.

He was just curious to know what Amy thought of him.

He figured it was harmful, but he also knew it must’ve been helpful, since he hadn’t really tried that hard to secure the job and yet he got it anyway.

Some well placed comments.

Perhaps a bit of light flirting.

The job was in the bag.

And the whole thing was well worth it when he saw the twitch in Amy’s eye when Selina told her that he was hired.

In the proceeding days, Dan had enjoyed watching that twitch in Amy’s eye every time he was addressed.

He liked seeing her get riled up when he said something smart or came up with a good idea to get them out of a jam.

But his favorite was when she was feeling left out of the equation. Like when Selina brought up Two Point Me or when he had the good idea about the frozen yogurt while Amy had nothing – well not nothing, but was just circling around the same old idea.

Maybe it was his enjoyment of seeing her all worked up and practically hissing at him like an angry goose.

Or maybe he just liked to know he was beating her in their unofficial competition, but he went above and beyond to annoy her.

Bringing up them dating seemed to really get under her skin.

“Move on from what? We dated for like a week. It was like getting over mild food poisoning.”

He could see the look of annoyance written all of her face, which was why he wanted to dig into her a bit more and leave a lasting impression.

Mentioning her weight seemed to be a trigger for her. Even though she was looking very…fuck point me lately, he knew that rubbing in self-concious elements would really get under her skin.

His theory was proven when she flipped him off, much as she had the day they ended things on the street, and headed back toward her office after a meeting one day when he had made a distasteful joke about how she had gained a little weight due to his presence.

Even though he knew it to be a sore point, he couldn’t help digging in two things she hated: her weight and the fact they had dated.

Both he continued to use to his advantage because – why not? When it just made her all the more irritable and attractive.

Maybe that’s why he kept doing it.

To see the look on her face.

Those narrowed eyes.

The scrunch of her nose.

And the laser beams that threatened to shoot from her blue orbs as well as the steam that seemed to radiate from her head.

If he could get her to use her hands in exaggerated motions to relieve the emotional upheaval she was dealing with, then he knew that he had won.

It may be his favorite look on her.

The look of someone who was passionate about the work they did.

All of her attention was focused on him and all of those feelings she was struggling with were all about him.

What could be better than being the main focus?

Maybe that was why after Selina had okayed the yogurt idea he had settled down in Amy’s office to determine the best flavors.

While he may have his own opinions about Amy, she was the most capable person in the office. And that included Selina. So even though he enjoyed making her squirm, he also knew he couldn’t piss her off too much because he needed her.

Half the enjoyment of coming to work these days was figuring out a new way to make Amy pissed at him.

But not too pissed.

He knew somewhere down the road he’d need her help – one way or another.

Which was maybe why he had nudged her into assisting him in determining a flavor of yogurt for Selina.

Well, she wasn’t really helping. She was watching him write down names as she doodled on a piece of paper and only contributed when he nagged her.

“This is so stupid.” She said after begrudgingly replying vanilla to his question about flavors.

He cocked his head at her and gave her a look that he knew would make her roll her eyes and concede to whatever he was nudging her to do.

For all of her annoyances about him, he could usually get her on his side. Even with the yogurt idea. While he knew she hated it on principal with her exaggerated looks of annoyance, eventually she gave in and mumbled that _maybe it was a good idea_.

And that made some weird feeling of pride settle in his stomach that made him want to show off a little more to see what other nice things Amy could say about him.

He’d made sure from the moment the Meyer team had stepped through Hallows door that he was going to make sure to let Amy know how great he was doing and how good he was at his job.

After all, it wasn’t a lie and it wasn’t like he needed her validation. He just needed her to know how fucking awesome he was.

There was nothing wrong with that.

And it made her more competitive with him. They were both gunning to be in higher power and there was nothing wrong with that. Dan may even admire that a bit about her because she was ready to do what it took to reach the top – just like him.

“It’s just yogurt.” She said at the look he gave her.

He smirked, “it’s more than yogurt, Amy. You know that.”

She rolled her eyes and made a motion of sticking her finger down her throat, but before he could respond, the phone on her desk rang and she picked it up.

He listened as she spoke to Senator Murry and continued to write down more flavors of yogurt until they were interrupted by Gary bragging about taking a ‘flu bullet’ for Selina.

He moved through the list until Selina came back in and then yelled a lot and whined to Amy about having fucked up and it being her fault. While he knew it wasn’t Amy’s fault, he did feel some glee in knowing that she was getting in trouble. But on the other hand, he didn’t really find it fair that Selina was blaming the petite blonde for something Selina had told her to do in the first place. Dan wondered if that was how she always operated.

But then Amy’s wrath was directed on him when he left to meet Leon West to go to the yogurt shop.

Because she was so exuberant in her annoyance over him being chosen instead of her when it came to oil and clean jobs—at least that’s how he saw it—he couldn’t resist making kissy faces and sounds to her while she overreacted about Leon.

She was always so melodramatic.

* * *

 

After work, in the small amount of time he had when he got off that wasn’t dedicated to the gym or one of the many girls he used to entertain himself, he found himself at a bar around the corner from the office. He hadn’t ever been there until he started working for Selina. It was filled with staffers that were tired, annoyed, and ready to just drink the pain away before making their way home to their families or—more likely—an empty apartment.

So it shouldn’t have been a surprise to him when he saw Amy sitting at the counter with a vodka tonic and a sad looking salad.

“Jesus. Do you eat anything besides wilted greens?” he asked stopping beside her and taking the conveniently empty seat at the bar.

She stared at him with a wide eyed expression that made her look more like a china doll – except he doubted that Amy would ever break.

“What the _fuck_ are you doing here?” she asked in annoyance.

“Grabbing a drink with a gorgeous blonde.” He said letting his knee brush against hers.

She promptly yanked it back and then opening glared. “I’d like to eat alone.”

“Relax. I have dinner plans. I just saw you in here and figured you could do with a drinking partner.” He said waving down the bartender.

He could practically hear Amy grinding her teeth.

“If you grind your teeth all the way down, you won’t be able to eat any of those tasty salads.” He said eyeing the collection of carrots, leaves, peas, and radishes on the plate.

“Fuck _off_ , Dan. It’s been a rough day. And now I have to get in all the nutrients I can, so I don’t end up with the fucking flu.” She said taking a sip of her drink and then moving her fork around the dredges of the salad.

He watched her for a moment, “yeah, that was one of those memoir-worthy moments.”

Amy smiled unexpectedly, “what a day, right.”

Dan nodded in agreement and then took a sip of his drink that the bartender put down in front of him. He was quiet as she ate and he enjoyed the alcohol as it flowed through his body.

“At least we got to go home early.” Amy mumbled finally.

Dan nodded, “as long as I don’t get the flu, I will enjoy this unexpected break.”

“You haven’t even been working here that long.”

“I’ve been in D.C. long enough to know how things work.”

Amy glanced over at him and then quickly back at her plate, “why did you con your way into a job with us?”

A smirk blossomed Dan’s face and by her expression, he knew she regretted asking.

“I didn’t con myself into a job. I just simply demonstrated what a valuable asset I could be to the team.”

“But why?”

“Why not?”

Amy scowled, “fine.”

Dan was silent for a few minutes, “I was bored. I wanted something new.”

“So you had to maneuver your way into my domain?” she snipped.

He chuckled at the pissy look on her face, “it’s not all about you Amy. I wanted something different and I saw an opportunity. With how you spoke about the Meyer administration…I saw a job that I could excel at.”

“Don’t make me gag, Dan. You couldn’t see an opportunity unless it bitch slapped you in the face.”

It was Dan’s turn to scowl, “you fucking asked.”

“Yeah and I expected you to tell the truth, not to bullshit me. But I guess the last laugh is on me _again_.” She said bitterly.

He watched her get up, finish the vodka tonic off, and then throw down a $20, which the bartender was quick to swipe up. Before she could move away though, he grabbed her arm and opened his mouth to say something.

She glared down at him and went to shake him off, but his grip tightened for a fraction of a second before loosening and letting his hand drop from her arm.

“You should eat more than just salad.”

“Funny. This morning you said I was gaining weight. Maybe I should stop fucking eating entirely.” She snarled.

He watched her grab her things and then leave.

* * *

A few weeks later, it was Selina’s anniversary in politics – oh yeah, and the daughter was coming to visit. Dan had taken to staying cordial with Amy, unless he really couldn’t help himself, which was often the case. Most of the time, he’d follow her around to figure out what was going on.

He had learned after the yogurt incident that having Amy on his side would do him some good. If Amy had called him instead of Mike, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten yelled at by Leon West. And if Amy had been on his side, then maybe he wouldn’t have been asked to stay with Catherine and forced to sit outside and listen to her go on and on about Faulkner or whatever.

Now, here he was listening to Jonah try to flirt with Catherine and while he thought Catherine was one of the dullest people he’d ever met, watching Jonah flirt with her was entertaining.

Amy was standing with Selina looking like she was trying to stay awake and he wondered if she got any enjoyment out of these things. She was sipping a water with lemon and once Selina left to go do some more Gary-oke, she made her way to the bar.

Dan, who also felt like he was going to fall asleep from boredom, headed over to her.

“Are these things usually like this?” he asked leaning down to speak directly into her ear.

She glanced over her shoulder at him and then took the glass of white wine that the bartender handed to her.

“Should you really be drinking on the job?” he asked nudging her to get some reaction.

“It’s been a fucking long day, Dan.” She said shortly.

He raised his hands as if to show that he didn’t mean offense.

“So does that mean you’re going to get white girl wasted?”

She gave him a look of disbelief and then sipped on her wine. They moved away from the bar and watched as Jonah continued attempting to talk to Catherine.

“Did you see Jonah hit on Sue earlier?” Dan asked causally.

Amy nodded.

Dan took his phone out and began to scroll through emails that he had to respond to that day.

He glanced over at Amy, who was holding her wine in one hand and doing the exact same thing he was in the other—scrolling through emails she needed to respond to—and felt an odd warmth buzz in his chest. It was the smallest feeling and he could detect it the slightest amount. He wondered if this was a sign that he enjoyed standing in silence with the petite blonde.

“I’m surprised you didn’t hit on Catherine.” Amy said breaking the silence.

He smirked to himself when he noticed that she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Checking up on me, Amy?”

“No, I just know how much you like using…daughters.” Amy said attempting casual.

He watched as her finger hovered over the screen – pausing as it scrolled through endless emails.

“Are you hungry?” he asked choosing to ignore her comment.

Amy cleared her throat and then finally looked up from her phone to face him. She gave him a piercing look with those bright blue eyes of hers.

“I’ll see you later, Dan.” She said finally and began to walk away from him. He hesitated a moment wondering if he should follow her, but then she turned back around as if she had realized she’d forgotten to tell him something.

“You know…I wondered for awhile after you got hired if you were doing it just because you could or if you really had something to prove.” She paused before going on, but before she could get another word out, Mike came over looking worried.

“Do you guys think Selina is really going to give me that ugly fucking dog?”

Dan glowered at Mike because he couldn’t fucking believe he had just interrupted them to ask about his fucking invincible bullshitsue.

“Fucking duh, Mike. You’re going to end up actually having to walk it and water it and whatever the fuck else you do with dogs.” Amy said haughtily.

Mike groaned and looked over at Dan who was still glaring at him.

“What?” Mike asked confused.

Dan opened his mouth to tell Mike to go shove the ugly-ass yappie dog he was going to inherit up his ass because couldn’t he see him and Amy had been in the middle of something, when Selina came over to complain _again_ about the loss of the drama pictures.

By this point, Dan knew that he’d never hear the end of what Amy was going to say to him.

For some reason, the fact he never got to learn what Amy thought about him bothered him more than he cared to think about.  

He was hoping it was going to be a compliment about how great a job he was doing.

A begrudging compliment, of course. It was _Amy_ , after all.

And now he’d never know what she was thinking about him.

Good or bad.

What fucking bullshit.

Dan took a sip of his drink as he watched Selina whine and Amy, Gary, and Mike try to calm her down. He figured that there was always tomorrow. He was stuck with Amy for quite some time and that didn't necessarily bother him. 


	2. Lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy seems to find herself always having lunch with Dan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for checking out the story! We continue on with Season 1. Obviously, the lingo you recognize belongs to Veep and on that note here's a disclaimer: no characters belong to me. 
> 
> Just a heads up, I'm currently traveling through New Zealand and the WIFI isn't the greatest where I've been staying, so the updates may be a bit sporadic, but I'm hoping still consistent. I hope you guys like this next chapter! It was very fun to write. The next one should hopefully be up in a few weeks. 
> 
> Have a good holiday and happy new year!

Amy wasn’t sure how exactly it had happened, but at some point, she and Dan began to eat lunch together. Well as much of a lunch as they could eat when they were being shepherded from place to place for/or by Selina.

And really, it wasn’t _just_ her and Dan who were enjoying lunches together.

And enjoying was definitely the wrong word use.

It was more of a _convenience_ , if anything.

Just like working together.

Of course, they would take the occasional lunch together.

Except it wasn’t so occasional.

And if she was thinking that she and Dan were eating together, then she might as well add Gary into the mix too.

And fuck it, Mike too.

She just happened to never take a lunch or if she did, she ate at her desk and they just happened to do the same thing as well. The important part was that while she still kept her guard up around Dan and she would always be wary of him, she did acknowledge that he wasn’t all bad all of the time.

Sometimes, when they were eating lunch -- because it was convenient -- he would almost seem like a normal enough person that she would feel almost...almost like she could...she shook her head not even allowing the thought to come to pass. If she did, she wasn’t sure what would happen. She might...be _vulnerable_...with him...again.

And look how well that had turned out last time.

Pushing it away because she knew she couldn’t even finish the thought since she knew that if she gave Dan an inch, he would take a mile. The important part was that her and Dan seemed to have started to eat lunch together. It was never discussed, but it always seemed to happen.

Around 1 -- sometimes 2 if she was having a particularly difficult day -- he’d mosey over to her desk with some semi-healthy lunch and a beverage that seemed to have a specifically scheduled day and sit down at the chair in front of her desk that was closest to the window.

It was the same thing every day. And they didn’t talk about it.

Neither of them acknowledged it.

To be honest, neither of them really said much at all to each other.

Sometimes, he’d comment on what was going on that day and other times she would ask if he’d read the latest in Politico or The Hill or sometimes if she was feeling a little more conversational, she’d ask if he read HuffPo because it was HuffPo.

Really though, while they ate together, there was no more warmth than there had been when he first started.

At least that’s what she thought.

Generally, Gary would come in and then talk to them while sipping his noodle juice or Mike would stop in with some large, gross sandwich he had gotten over most of his shirt.

When they were in the middle of work stuff, Amy would come into the Veep’s office and lean against Dan’s desk and carry on working while taking tentative bites of her lunch.

Lunches had become a constant just like Mike’s spillage and Gary’s noodle juice.

What sometimes bothered Amy when she let herself actually acknowledge the luches was that she couldn’t place the first time they had eaten lunch together.

She had given him an odd look when she had noticed it -- because she really couldn’t remember when the lunches had started, but she did remember when she noticed it -- and neither of them took note of it again. It was one of those things that seemed to just pop up without an explanation.

One day she was watching Gary slurp his noodle juices alone and the next day she mocked him with Dan.

And while she didn’t like Dan, she wasn’t entirely against having a meal with him for some reason.

Maybe it was because eating for her was never really much of a meal, but a few moments that occurred once sometimes twice a day.

All it really consisted of was her shoveling food down her throat while she was working or on a phone call to ensure that she didn’t pass out during something important or she just pretended to eat by picking at something. Not eating would fuck too much with her work, but eating the daily recommended caloric intake...well, some days were easier than others.

Maybe it was because Dan wasn’t mocking or starting shit with her while they ate because he was too busy shoving food down his own throat. Instead, he was being moderately cordial or at least as cordial as he could be.

He was Dan Egan afterall.

Whatever the reason, somehow she found herself eating with Dan every day and mostly pretending to hate it.

Maybe it was convenient, maybe it was something else entirely that she didn’t want to look too into.

Regardless, it was happening, which was perhaps why on the day of Danny Chung’s book signing, Dan had asked her to come with him.

“Hey Amy.” Dan asked in the voice where she knew without knowing how that he wanted to ask her something and he wanted her to agree without much argument.

Amy hated that tone because she didn’t want him to think that he could easily get to her or that she’d go down without a fight.

“What?” she barked back because as usual she was busy and burnt out from filibuster reform and didn’t want to be bothered by Dan.

“What are you doing for lunch?” he asked edging his way into her peripheral vision until she had no other choice, but to look up at him.

She cleared her throat and then glanced at Gary who was already staring longingly at his fucking noodle juice. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was thinking about Selina based on the expression on his face.

“Shoving some food particles down my throat and finishing this.” she said waving the fillibuster documents at him.

Dan gave her a wolfish grin, “we should go out for lunch.”

“What? What _we_ are you referring to?”

“Come on, Amy. I promise it’ll be worth your while.”

Amy scrunched her nose up in annoyance, “I’m sure it won’t.”

Dan’s smirk widened, “Chung is having a book signing and Selina thinks we should go. So really me asking you if you wanted to go was just a formality. You’re coming with me.”

Amy felt her jaw tense and she glared at him in disbelief. “The fuck.” she muttered slowly organizing the documents on her desk and then slowly standing up because going anywhere with Dan, especially a Chung book signing -- what the fuck -- was not on her wishlist for today.

Or really ever.

“I’m impressed you even bothered with a formality. I figured you would just say, ‘Amy, up. I want.’ Like the neanderthal you are.”

Dan chuckled darkly, “don’t get neanderthal and sociopath mixed up, Ames. I figured you’d know the difference.”

Amy made a fake laughing sound as she gathered her jacket and they made their way out of the building and toward Chung’s book signing.

The book signing wasn’t far from the building, but by the time they got there, Amy had simultaneously became disgustingly hungry and more irritated at Dan for dragging her away from work, especially when she couldn’t even form coherent conversation due to being knee deep in filibuster reform.

Maybe that was why she began to shovel the tiny appetizers into her mouth or felt for some reason as if her and Dan were actually getting along.

But then again he had to be Dan and side with Chung about that stupid going down will get you to go up saying and of course, he had to play the always-on-the-look-out careerist role, which ultimately lead her to wanting to leave because of the too many confusing and conflicting emotions that always seemed to pop up around Dan.

Fucking Doyle.

Fucking Danny Chung.

Fucking Dan.

* * *

 

After the Chung book signing, Amy began to take note of how many lunches her and Dan ate together. Initially, she didn’t really notice it because who the fuck had time to notice that type of shit when she had so much other stuff on her plate, but after he tried to blame her for the fuck up with Doyle, she really knew she had to stay on her toes.

And preferably those toes were away from him.

She made a deal with herself that she’d stay as far away from Dan Egan as she could as long as it didn’t have to do with work. Work all bets were off, but personally she was staying away from Dan.

He was into some shady shit and she wouldn’t stand for it. At least that’s what she told herself everytime she caught him doing something less than ideal.

From the getgo, she knew that Dan was bad news -- everything he did getting into the Meyer office was a reflection of that -- but then the deal with O’Brien and Jack occurred and Amy felt something strange and warm blossom in her chest when she saw the way Dan had been looking at her as she edged her way around that conversation to make sure Selina and the party got what they wanted.

Amy always knew it was all about compromise and while it left an unsavory taste in her mouth, she couldn’t deny that it felt good to come out on top for once. And maybe it felt even better to know that Dan was in awe of her darker side.

_That was fuckin' dark. You've gone up 10 levels in my estimation, by the way._

And while she acknowledged that she had gone down 100 of her own, seeing that look of awe and lust portrayed in his eyes gave her a strange thrill.

One she wasn’t sure what to make of or if she really wanted to look into it more. Due to that, she decided to tuck it away to ignore for the rest of her life. Or to look deeper into later on.

Regardless, the whole thing gave her a little bit - who was she kidding, a big high.

What was even better was that he gave her the opportunity to tell Selina, however, because Selina was Selina, Amy’s dark hopes had been washed away when Sue mentioned she had gone home.

To fuck who the fuck ever that guy was.

So now here she was...sharing a drink with Dan after having spent a majority of the day with him.

And now unwanted lunches had turned into tentative and convenient drinks. But that was it. And that was all it would ever be.

Unfortunately, she realized much too late that she’d broken the unspoken deal she had made with herself to stay away from Dan and his devilishly handsome face.

She wondered briefly as they ordered the first round of drinks if they would’ve ended up going out for a meal if they hadn’t already eaten. Maybe meals, drinks, and work were okay to mix with Dan as long as he was relatively decent and not as much of a shit as he could be.

“I’m still impressed.” Dan said after his second drink.

The first round of drinks had been a mix of hostile insults and almost nice compliments, which pretty much described their relationship.

Amy looked down at the whiskey she had ordered and swirled it around in the glass debating if she really even wanted to finish her second drink. She had, had a long day and she should really be at home and going to bed...

“Yeah well...I know all about compromise.” she said glancing over at him with wide blue eyes.

He smirked slightly and took a sip of his beverage, “I’m sure.”

She watched as he moved slightly toward her and she felt her back tense as he closed into her proximity. He always got so close to her and she never understood why. But she saw it as an intimidation technique and she refused to back down because she was Amy Brookheimer.

“You know, Amy, I feel like we could teach each other a few things.” he said gazing into her eyes.

She blinked rapidly and then forced herself to stare down at the remaining amber liquid.

“I don’t think...I hope you don’t think I’m proud of what I did. I...I’m not like you.” she said trying to keep a casual tone.

Dan snorted and shook his head, “yes, you fucking are. And I just witnessed it. You may not be as...charming and willing as I am to do certain...activities, but I know you, Ame--”

“Fuck off, Dan. You don’t know anything about me.”

“Yes, I fucking do. Just because I hurt yo--”

“You didn’t fucking hurt me, Dan. Jesus fucking Christ. How many times do I have to say it? We barely fucking dated. It didn’t mean anything to me and honestly...I mean I don’t date D.C. guys. I was just looking for a fuck.” Amy said more passionately than she had planned.

Dan started to smile at the beginning of her tirade and by the end, he was giving her such a wolfish grin, she wanted to reach over and smack the shit out of him.

She briefly imagined what it would be like to slap that cat-ate-the-canary grin off of his face.

“Go fuck yourself.” she said when he continued to sit there grinning.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” he said leaning toward her and making sure to catch her eye.

She clenched her jaw and gripped her glass tighter.

“Dan, I’d rather be diagnosed with Ebola than ever go out on a date with you. I’d rather sit through several tantrums of Selina’s than kiss you again. And if I have to spend more than 30 minutes with you doing a non-work related thing, then I will take a dull fork and stab my fucking eyes out like some maniac who was on too many drugs.” Amy ranted and then because Dan had opened his mouth to probably point out they were doing unrelated work things for longer than 30 minutes and she had went on a date with him as well as kissed him, she gulped down the rest of her drink, stood up, and then left without another word.

She told herself that he deserved to pay her bill after the last few weeks. It was the least he could do when he was such a shit and had fucked up her work life -- which was basically her only life -- so much.

Plus, his general attitude that grated on her nerves so much.

A few hours later right as she was actually going to bed, she got a text from Dan.

_You owe me a nightcap, Ames. Making me pay the fucking bill...real classy._

She hated that the text message brought a small, but evident smile to her face.

* * *

 

After their drinks together and the very uncomfortable conversation, Amy tried to stay away from Dan, especially when he began to see Alice or maybe he’d always been seeing her and just hadn’t mentioned it until she was due for a promotion, but she did her best to stay away from him.

Of course, it didn’t really work until Dan decided that he had better things to do like deal with Jonah or something about Alice needing to trust him or some shit.

Fat chance that was.

Besides, Amy was busy too with the clean jobs bill and making sure that everything went according to plan, especially when so much seemed doomed to fail.

And then it did fail and they were on to working on fighting the obesity epidemic in America. Which would always be a fucking epidemic, like the war on drugs and terrorism and fucking poverty.

Honestly, she was so busy she wasn’t even thinking about Dan.

At least she tried not to.

It was surprisingly more difficult than she thought. For some reason, she found herself looking for him throughout the day to mention something that had happened or comment on Selina being difficult -- such as with the nicknames. But he’d been off with Jonah and his fructose-intolerant bullshit. And she found that...oddly enough, she sorta kinda maybe missed him a little.

When she looked for someone to give a look of disbelief to, he always would reciprocate because he was thinking the same thing too. She was wondering if he was missing the only competent person in the office too because late one night he called her sounding a little unhinged.

Because it was so late or he sounded so crazed, she told him that he could come over, even though they had to be up early for work and it was already passed midnight.

“Fucking hell. Do you know where I just was?” Dan whined when he walked through her door.

She looked him over and noticed that he smelled strongly of beer and sweat - a far cry from his usual spicy mix of hair gel, cologne and body wash.

“I’m guessing not fucking whatever flavor of the week you have. Unless, I guess if you count Jonah.” Amy said smirking because she knew that he’d gone out with Jonah tonight to get some ‘intel.’

Dan glared at her and then went over to collapse on her couch. “Why are you here, Dan? To complain about the shitty night you had? I was planning on going to bed.”

Dan groaned and leaned back into the couch, “can you stop being a bitch for five minutes? I just need to...I...it’s been a long fucking week spying on Jonah.”

Amy guffawed, “I hardly call what you’ve been doing as spying. It’s more like pathetically trying to milk him for information he doesn’t have. This is only going to fuck you up the ass with Selina.”

Dan gave her a mysterious smirk and then shrugged with faux causality, “we’ll see.”

“Yeah, when Selina tears you a new one because Jonah cannot be used.”

“Have some fucking faith, Ames.”

“Faith is for religious fundamentalists and mothers of dying children. You and I both know Jonah is nothing and he knows nothing. I don’t know how he even got into the White House.”

Dan chuckled and then got up to raid her fridge without asking, “Something we can agree on.” he called out as she watched him in annoyance.

When he came back into the room, he gave her a weird look. “Do you not eat or something? There’s barely anything in the fridge.”

Amy shrugged it off, “I’ve been too busy to go to the store.”

Dan narrowed his eyes at her and she wondered if he’d pursue it, but then he dropped it, thankfully.

“I think I’m going to get something off of Jonah, but more importantly, I better fucking get something off of Jonah because this has been a shitty as fuck week. I think you should know that I’d trade you for Jonah any day.”

“How kind.”

“Seriously.”

Amy gave him a smirk, “oh, I know.”

“I just...unlike Jonah you have a brain and you’re...on my level. Jonah is...a walking dipshit that’s so far from us he’s below sub-zero.” Dan said avoiding her gaze.

Amy opened her mouth to respond and then shut it not knowing what to say. While she’d normally say thanks, she couldn’t bring herself to do so to Dan. But the weird thing was she totally got it. He was just as driven as she was and was all about the work as well as the payoff. Not many people got that, especially in Selina’s office where they worked with a man-child, a sloppy ex-alcoholic, and Selina who was a world unto herself. Plus, Sue, of course, but she was just something else entirely.

Dan was manipulative, but she’d proven herself to be as well.

And while she hated that he was smart...he was and she...admired that.

She liked that she could bounce ideas off of him and during their lunches, she enjoyed having someone she could have a real conversation with instead of just watching them slurp up noodle juice or spill on himself for the 100th time.

Of course, she’d rather swallow her own tongue before she said any of that.

“You should probably get some sleep.”

Dan nodded, “yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She confirmed that he would and then he left as quickly as he’d gotten there.

* * *

 

In the days that followed, they almost seemed to have waved a white flag and were being a little nicer to each other.

But then Selina’s pregnancy happened and Amy felt like she’d stepped onto uneven ground.

While it wasn’t her that was pregnant, Amy was familiar with the uneasy panic that occurred when you were in over your head, especially with something like this. A long time ago Amy had found herself in a similar situation and while it had ended the way it should’ve since she had been so young, she did empathize with Selina.

Which is why when Selina asked Amy to get a pregnancy test on the way to the school, she had agreed.

Besides the fact that Selina was her boss and she couldn’t say no to her, she did feel for her in this situation.

It was uncharted territory and Amy wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

But one thing Amy did know was that she had never mentioned her own pregnancy scare.

And she never would.

To anyone.

But grabbing the pregnancy test while she tried to distract Dan into focusing on himself, hadn’t worked in the way she had wanted and inevitably made her feel very uncomfortable.

“Business card bukkake.”

“You know, you should get something while we're here: razor blades, a large amount of painkillers.” she said grabbing the pregnancy test as he turned to look elsewhere.

She quickly threw it into the basket she was holding and silently prayed he wouldn’t ask or say anything about it.

Obviously, no one was listening today because a few seconds later, Dan exclaimed, “Holy shit! Are you pregnant? Amy, come on, career-wise, that's like joining scientology or getting a fucking neck tattoo.”

She lowered her eyes and tried to focus on what was in front of her until she tried to casually lift her gaze to Dan’s.

It didn’t work and the white flag they seemed to have silently waved disappeared as she saw the mixed emotions on his face. He looked intrigued as if he’d found the next piece of juicy gossip. But he also looked a little amazed and she was curious to know why.

“Thanks for the support.” she said finally because she didn’t know what else to say.

“So I guess you're gonna be needing maternity leave.” he said a knowing and almost excited look settling on his face.

She glared openly at him when the next words left his mouth, “I'd be the obvious choice for your replacement.”

She resisted wanting to punch him in the face and she wondered how he could go from being okay to a complete and totally asshole the next moment.

She deeply despised him some days.

Oh, who was she kidding, most days she hated him.

Some days she tolerated him, but even when they were waving the white flag, she never really liked him.

She told herself that hating Dan was just something that was inevitable. He just made people hate him with the way he treated them because every time you gave Dan a little bit, he took everything and all he wanted to do was screw you over.

And now that he thought she was pregnant...well, she knew he would run with it like a dog with a bone.

“That is literally your first thought.” she stated in mild disbelief because she wasn’t disillusioned by him, but sometimes he did catch her off guard with how callous he was.

“No.” he said letting his gaze roam over her body, “My first thought was, "there goes your figure," but I didn't say that because I thought it would be upsetting.”

Amy blinked and then responded with a simple thanks because there he went again reminding her what a complete asshole he was. While sometimes he’d point out her lack of eating, other times he’d say shit like this that made her wonder if he ever actually thought about what came out of his mouth. Or the fact that even though she put on a tough front, she felt every verbal hit he gave her and she stored it in a little part of her brain of reasons to hate Dan Egan.

He just fueled her knowledge that he was impossible and would forever be.

At least she could see that now though. She had no illusions about changing him or helping him be a better man because he would always just be a skeezy asshole that was only looking out for number one.

“You know, if it's a boy, maybe I'll name him after you. Call him fuck weasel.” she added as they got into line to buy the test and a few meaningless items.

Dan stood behind her hovering there and making her feel uncomfortable with him too close in her space.

She saw him open his mouth a few times and she hoped that he would just let it be, but of course, he couldn’t because it was Dan and he just never let anything alone.

“If you were really going to name him after me, you should name him King Danny. You know that’s what I name my di--”

“Next!” The customer service representative announced and Amy shot Dan a disgusted look before going forward to cash out.

Once Amy had paid, they set out toward the car to head toward the elementary school. At first, Amy thought he would leave it alone, but then he began to ask her questions.

“So who’s the dad?” he asked breaking the silence as they drove toward the school.

She shot him a look before turning to look out the window. Her hand tightening on the plastic bag and she desperately wished that Selina had either never told her or she had gone to the school alone.

Then she silently cursed the entire Meyer team for always pairing her with Dan.

What the fuck was up with that?

It’s not like they were a team or anything.

They didn’t work well together.

They were not compatible.

They were nothing and yet here she was with Dan on another assignment.

“Amy, you won’t be able to ignore this. I mean, you’ll be big as a house in just a few months.” She continued to ignore him and stared across the street at some woman walking her dog and talking on the phone.

“I mean, some guys are into that shit, you know. Their baby mama gets pregnant and blows up like a balloon and then all they want to do is fuck. Do you think your baby daddy will be like that?”

Amy tightened her hold on the bag until she briefly wondered if it was going to rip in her hand.

“When do women start maternity leave anyway? I mean, is that like a sixth month thing or like wait until the end when you give birth? Hey, do you think Gary will want to shoot the birthing process? I could totally see him being totally into that. Seriously, though, who the fuck is the dad? All you do is work. When have you had time to get out there and fuck? Unless, it’s Jonah…” Dan rambled.

Finally, because the thought of Jonah being the father of her child was so disturbing, Amy turned to Dan with an appalled and angered expression on her face.

“Fuck. Off. Dan.” she said in a clipped tone.

He grinned for some reason that wasn’t clear to her. “Finally hit a nerve, did I? The thought of Jonah being the dad too terrible for you?”

“Would you just shut the fuck up? Do you ever stop? Jesus fuck. As if this day couldn’t get any worse.” Amy said shrilly putting a hand to her head and rubbing her temple.

Dan laughed and moved closer to her.

“Come on, Amy. Don’t be so put out. I’m sure the baby daddy will step up. Maybe you can be a nice stay at home mom. Watch me get all the glory with helping Selina take over the world while you take care of a bunch of kids.”

Amy turned to stare back outside the window to focus on something that wasn’t Dan.

“Seriously though, who is the father? I know it’s not really Jonah’s, right? I mean…” Dan trailed off and for one blissful moment it was quiet in the car.

“When did you find out?” he asked poking her in the shoulder.

She tensed and shrugged his finger off of her. “Amy, come one. Tell me.” he almost whined sounding like a two year old.

And then because the whole scenario was too damn funny, she smiled, but that could have also been because they were at the school and she could finally get away from Dan.

At least out of close proximity to him.

Once the car was parked, they headed into the building and Dan continued to drop heavy and annoying comments about her ‘pregnancy.’

The principle came over to them and Dan had to drop a: Oh, we're very excited, too. Amy's practically having a baby about it.

And all she could do was smile uncomfortably and squirm as the woman took them to the classroom and told them how excited everyone was for the vice president’s visit.

Dan introduced them as they walked through the door and then in true fashion began to network with an eight year old.

Amy rolled her eyes as Dan asked about Robert Aldridge. But then the worst of the news of the day dropped -- and that was saying something -- when she got the phone call that Selina would be delayed an hour.

“Problem?” Dan asked rushing out of the classroom and toward her after seeing she was on the phone. He obviously didn’t want to miss anything as he hovered over her.

She signed heavily and looked at the room with trepidation, “There’s a gas main leak. Selina’s going to be delayed at least an house.”

Dan looked too calm at the prospect of having to entertain the kids for an hour, but when she voiced that they had to keep them entertained, his response explained it all.

“Lion Kind DVD and two shots of ritalin.” he said with a casual shrug.

She stared at him in disbelief, “you’ll be such a great dad.”

He cast his eyes down and a sheepish look appeared on his face, “that’s how I was raised.” she heard him mutter and she had to wonder for a second about how strange his childhood must have been. But then again she couldn’t really imagine Dan as a child or a father for that fact.

“Good thing you’re not the baby’s father.” Amy mumbled so quickly and so sardonically she almost wished that Dan had heard it and with the quick glance back at her, she nearly thought he had.

Thank god, she would never have to know what a surprise pregnancy was like, especially with Dan Egan, she thought as they stepped into the classroom and began to figure out ways to entertain kids for an hour until Selina’s arrival.

At least, they found a guitar to keep the kids busy and Amy was able to hear how surprisingly excited Dan got about playing the musical instrument.

While her mind briefly went back to that day at his house when she’d spotted the guitar, she shouldn’t help but try to hide a smile at how un-Dan-like he was when he got the guitar in his hands. But then he had to drop a quip about how certain strings were a real ladies-magnetic and he was back to being Dan.

At least she could rely on some things to keep her stable.


	3. Endorse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan worries about the Macauley Amendment. Amy reveals a secret. They both celebrate a win in Ohio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: no one belongs to me!
> 
> Sorry for the long delay! I hope everyone had a good holiday. I hope you guys are still reading and enjoy the chapter. With the new season coming out soon, the next chapter will hopefully be out before then! Please let me know what you guys think!

Dan knew he was in some deep fucking shit when Furlong began to make threats.

While he wasn’t scared of Furlong, he was afraid of what it could do to his career and the jail time he could receive if the situation with the Macauley Amendment progressed. The situation had caused a pit of discomfort in his stomach that he couldn’t seem to shake and it was aggravating him to no end.

If he went to jail, he was seriously never going to become the powerhouse he always knew he could be. And more importantly, dreamed about becoming.

But right now, for once, it wasn’t about him.

Currently, the media was focused on the fuckups with Amy and Mike and he was A-fucking-okay with that.

After all, while he admired Amy’s brain and her own manipulative behavior, he knew that after the shit with Selina’s pregnancy and then the full disclosure she had suggested, she was the main course at a table ready and willing to devour.

And he sorta enjoyed her being under fire for something like that. He even found it a little funny that she’d flopped under the proverbial pregnancy bus just because Selina asked her to, but then again, he didn’t really blame her. He’d do the same just to keep his job.

That’s probably why he liked Amy a little - the tiniest bit - more than most people because she just seemed to get it.

He couldn’t explain it, but the idea of Amy being blasted on national radio was...sorta a...turn on.

He wasn’t sure why and he wasn’t going to look that closely into it, but hearing her get torn apart on the radio made King Danny twitch. And when that happened, he needed to find the fastest way to ease that growing desire.

Which is probably why he buried himself in that brunette - he tried to stay away from blondes if he could help it. Another factor he wasn’t willing to look into.

Anyway, maybe the Macauley situation would be buried beneath this shitpile that Amy had created. The fact he was about to get away with the Macauley Amendment was probably why he was enjoying the humiliation that was surrounding Amy.

Or maybe it was because he was the obvious choice for the next in line after Amy when it came to becoming the Vice President’s Chief of Staff.

Who the fuck knew.

What he did know was that while he did enjoy listening to that God awful radio show tear Amy a new asshole, he didn’t really think she deserved it. Even though he constantly was competitive with her, he admired her.

Begrudgingly, of course, and he’d never actually tell her this, like ever, but he did.

Just like he’d never actually tell her that he liked her the smallest tiniest itsy bitsiest amount more than most people that he knew. He admired that she had a brain when so many of those who surrounded them did not.

And he admired that she was dedicated to her work and determined when it came to her ethic toward her job.

Mostly though, he enjoyed her manipulative behavior. There was just something about watching Amy weasel, con, and influence her way around Washington D.C. that was pretty amazing.

He had first noticed her exploitative behavior during that shit meeting with O’Brien and the other fucker when she went above and beyond to solidify that deal and now...well now, he tended to notice it a lot more and it made him look at Amy a little differently.

It wasn’t sexual - he didn’t need any help there when he already found her so alluring.

It just was...different and he couldn’t explain it really. Sometimes, she’d say these things...and he just felt...lighter, like he finally felt like someone understood where he was coming from and he could just be his asshole self without any judgements.

But this was D.C. and he wasn’t really interested in feeling lighter or allowing his true colors to show because then he wouldn’t be able to seem as appealing as he wanted to be, especially if he wanted a position of power. People didn’t want to surround themselves with others that didn’t cry when sad advertisements of dogs came on or when children had cancer.

People wanted to relate and Dan was all for being the relatable, easy going, hardworking guy.

Well, as much as he could tolerate at least.

He wasn’t a stand-up citizen all the time.

Come on. Or really any of the time. But if he didn’t appear to be relatable, well...none of his powerhouse dreams would come to pass, especially the consequences of what could happen if the Macauley Amendment got out.

However, as much as he was up for seeming relatable and as much as he admired Amy and her big brain, when she threw out full disclosure, well, he knew it was a shit idea, but he also could see she was getting a little desperate to save her own ass.

The more time he spent with her, the more he noticed her unspoken signals.

And again, he couldn’t really blame her.

He would take the pregnancy bullet and suggest some crazy shit to hope it worked in his favor, too. Which is probably why when Selina began to make threats, his own desire to save his ass perked up and his head and mouth began to work as quickly as possible without truly thinking it all the way through.

He was the one to suggest the suicide pact, after all.

But also, it was a perk to making sure he stayed on Amy’s good side - which is why he came to her first, but then that blew up in his face - since she was sorta the best thing in the office.

Not that he’d ever tell her that.

But the crazier thing - beside the suicide pact, which in hindsight was as much of a shit idea as full disclosure - was what he’d done after he’d found her staring out the window after her talk with Selina.

She was usually always on the move, which is what made it so weird to see her staring into space not doing anything at all.

“Are you trying to figure out how to fuck over both Mike and I for the suicide pact?” Dan asked nonchalantly because if the roles were reversed, he’d probably be plotting against Amy.

Although, if it really came down to it and he was ever fired, he’d make sure Amy came with him. It was the biggest fuck you to Selina he could think of. Taking away the best person who worked for her and keeping her with him where they could go anywhere and do anything.

He still stood by the idea that together, they really could be a political powerhouse and the more he got to know her, the more he was able to see that.

He just wished sometimes she saw it too.

“Not everything is about you, Dan.” she muttered glancing over at him.

He frowned, “well, if that were really true--”

“Fuck _off_ , I’m not in the mood.”

He stepped into the office and scowled.

Since she was being intentionally difficult, so would he.

“She didn’t fire you. Why the fuck do you look like she did?” Dan snipped coming to stand beside her.

She matched his scowl and turned away from the window to move behind her desk.

“Nice suicide pact there, dipshit. I always knew you were a piece of stuck-to-the-floor-scum, but to throw Mike and I under the bus…” she trailed off, but to Dan’s surprise she didn’t seem angry or frustrated.

Instead, she seemed almost amused. “Why aren’t you hissing insults at me?” he asked suspiciously.

“Because not everything is about you.” she repeated.

Dan rolled his eyes and moved to sit in the chair across from her.

Amy looked down at her hands and then back up at him. He watched her do this a few times as if she was debating on telling him something.

“What happened in there?” he prompted because he wanted to get the ball rolling.

“You think I’d tell you? After you fucked me over in a suicide pact.”

“It was nothing personal.”

“It never is with you.” she muttered.

He was silent because he wasn’t sure what to say to that.

Amy sighed and then ran a hand through her hair. She looked even more defeated than usual. It was not a typical expression Amy wore on her face.

Usually, she was always ready for what came next, but right now, she looked kinda...worn down.

“I shouldn’t tell you this...you always use information against others but...Selina wants the pregnancy story to be about me. Janet from The Hill is coming to do a puff piece about me explaining how the Smile Story was due to my pregnancy…” Amy muttered.

Instead of finishing the sentence, she rolled her eyes. Dan was silent for a few minutes, “Right.”

Amy nodded. “Who are you going to say the father is?”

She almost growled at him when the words left his mouth, “are you fucking kidding me Dan? What’s this obsession you have with who the father of an imaginary baby is?”

“I’m just asking, Ames! Fucking Janet is going to ask too. You should be prepared. Besides, it’s not just any imaginary baby, it’s yours.”

Amy rolled her eyes, “I’ll dodge the question. That’s not the important part.”

“Jonah might think its his.”

“Fucking gross.”

“Obviously, Mike is out on account that he is probably impotent.”

Amy made a gagging noise that Dan thought sounded almost like a laugh.

“And obviously, Gary is...well Gary.”

Amy scrunched her nose up, which Dan tried not to find a little bit adorable.

“You could say it’s mine.” Amy was silent.

And when he dared looked at her, she was staring at the space above his left ear.

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

Dan smirked, “come on. It makes sense.”

“How? How in the fucking world does you being the baby’s father make sense?”

“Janet will be here soon.” he said by way of response.

“Fuck off, Dan.”

Dan stood up and looked down at her - a position he’d always enjoyed more than he probably should.

“Think about it.”

Amy didn’t respond.

And when he came by later to ask her for a muffin in a faux-concerned way and heard Janet from The Hill ask whether he was the father and then Amy’s shitty answer, well, he chose not to be in the least bit bothered.

He only wanted and proceeded to offer up a big silent fuck you - whether that was for her ignoring his advice or for her whispered comment of ‘he can’t,’ he didn’t really care.

* * *

 

Dan didn’t really mind Cleveland, unlike most D.Cers he knew.

Most people hated coming to the Mistake On The Lake, but Dan didn’t. He had worked hard in the city and he’d enjoyed it, for the most part. It helped that the ladies were easy and didn’t demand much and he’d been able to see some of his favorite bands be inducted into the Rock Hall, so really as everything went it wasn’t that bad.

Plus, traffic was almost non-existent.

However, when Selina told him to go to D.C. to prepare for her arrival and to talk to Furlong about the endorsement, he wasn’t as excited as he usually was.

Maybe it was because of the Macauley Amendment coming to light or the unusually tense atmosphere in the Veep office since Mike, Amy, and him had been under Selina’s scrutiny, but working for the first time in his adult life sucked major ass right now.

Since the pregnancy story had come out and the full disclosure situation, not to mention Selina almost firing all three of them, going to work wasn’t as enjoyable as it had been.

Mike ate his way through everything at this point.

Dan noticed Mike’s belly was falling over the waistline of his pants a little more.

Amy refused to talk to him - probably because of the trust issues he had played into when she already thought so little of him.

And if Amy was angry at him, he’d found that he was left more to his own devices than he’d like.

Instead of looking over at her during meetings to roll his eyes at how fucking stupid everyone else was or having a hurried lunch with her, he’d found that she tried to stay as far away from him as possible.

He didn’t really get it.

It wasn’t like he’d ever shown he was trustworthy before. He had done shittier things in the past, so why was she all of a sudden acting like how she had when they had first started working together i.e. like he was the big bad wolf and she was a small, innocent, little lamb trying to escape him.

Not that Amy was by any means innocent.

He’d seen her dark side.

He was interested in her dark side.

But if she would actually let him talk to her, she’d find that he never intended to throw her under the bus or had the desire to do so.

Sometimes he just did things before he actually thought it through.

But he never wanted her to get fired.

Because it was her and she held more power than she even knew.

And they had just started to actually become a little more friendly. Not as many hurled insults. More shared looks of disbelief.

Some tense moments when he got too close and invaded her area.

Some of those moments were on purpose and others were done without thinking.

Like the time they had worked too late and he was leaning over her shoulder to try to think of a synonym for environment when his lips accidentally-not-even-on-purpose grazed her cheek because he had turned to her to say something and found that she had leaned in to write something on the document that was on the desk.

That was unlike the moments where he leaned into her because he knew it made her uncomfortable, just because he could.

But then again he’d stopped doing those things as frequently after the lip graze incident that neither of them had talked about.

And maybe he’d stopped doing those things because he didn’t want their relationship to go back to how it had been when he first started. Amy kinda sorta made coming to work that much better when he was able to glance over at her and know he wasn’t alone.

Which is maybe why the evening before he was due to leave he texted her.

He couldn’t help it.

If he wasn’t such a sociopathic asshole, he may have admitted he _missed_ her a little bit.

 _What?_ she’d responded and he wondered briefly if she was making a snarling face at her phone.

_Meet me at Harold Black. I’ll buy. 20 minutes._

It took a few minutes, but she said fine and he smirked at his phone imagining her gritting her teeth. 30 minutes later, he found himself at the bar with Amy sitting beside him looking annoyed.

“Shouldn’t you be preparing for your flight tomorrow?” she snipped.

“Shouldn’t you still be grieving?” he retorted smirking. She screwed her face up and he knew the comment had gotten to her.

“I figured we both needed a drink.” he said.

“Right. You still freaking out about the M-word?” she said conspiratorially since they were in a bar near the hill.

He was on the verge of telling her to shh when the bartender came over to ask their drink orders. Without asking her what she wanted, Dan ordered them both a whiskey and coke.

“I didn’t tell you what I wanted.” Amy said in annoyance.

Dan shrugged, “I already knew what you wanted.”

“Maybe I wanted something else.”

“Don’t be a fucking five year old, Ames. Now, how did you know about the M-stuff? Did Mike fucking spill it?”

“Are you serious? Everyone in the office knows.”

“Everyone?”

“We shouldn’t be talking about this here.”

Dan shrugged and looked around, “yeah but--”

“Dan, seriously. Drop it.” she said in a hard tone.

“You were the one that brought it up.”

“And I admit I shouldn’t’ve, but sometimes I like to see that crazed look in your eyes when you know you’re in the shitter.” Amy said smirking at him.

Dan gritted his teeth, but inwardly, he was a little happy that Amy was finally giving him a little more than she had been after the whole suicide pact situation.

He turned the conversation toward whether or not Furlong would really become governor in Ohio and whether Selina was losing her shit for real. They both agreed that Furlong was batshit, but he’d be a good governor for the notorious swing state.

Dan was just happy that Amy seemed to finally be relaxing a little bit and was about to get a little more comfortable around him. Essentially, things seemed to fall back into how they were in the last few weeks.

It was comfortable.

They had an understanding.

It wasn’t a friendship, but it was more than a working relationship, especially since Amy didn’t outwardly hate him so much.

Neither of them admitted to enjoying the time they spent with the other, but inevitably, they seemed to keep falling back together.

And when they did, it wasn’t bad.

Whether it had to do with work or commiserating together, it just sorta happened.

And Dan kinda liked it - not that he’d admit it, of course. Admitting it would give Amy way too much power and if there was one thing Dan needed a lot of it was power, especially over Amy.

“...I just think that sometimes people act irrationally when they’ve gone through shit. It just seems to create more of a obstacle to their end goal.” Amy was saying.

Dan took a sip of his drink and stared at her not really knowing what to say.

Honestly, he wasn’t really even listening, but he’d come back into the conversation because Amy seemed to be getting a bit worked up.

“What?” he asked not even bothering to pretend he’d been listening.

Amy glared, “what the fuck, Dan. Were you even paying any attention?”

“No.” Amy’s glare intensified and her shoulders tensed up.

“You’re such a prick.” she muttered finishing off her drink.

Dan rolled his eyes, “like it ever bothered you. I was just thinking about…” he trailed off, cleared his throat, and then started again, “I’m a bit concerned about this shit with the...shit.” he finished lamely not knowing what else to call the Macauley Amendment when Amy had so nicely told him to fucking be quiet.

She rolled her large in such an exaggerated fashion he wondered how anyway could not be in awe of her physical gestures.

“Dan, you did it. Accept it. These are the consequences. Just lie low until you know what’s going to happen with Furlong.” she said shrugging her shoulders.

“Jesus. You know about that too.”

Amy shrugged a little helplessly.

“Does everyone in the office know?”

Amy smirked a bit, “that time it was Mike.”

“Jesus, what the fuck. Does Mike tell you everything?”

“Pretty much.”

“And do you tell him everything?”

“I’ve known Mike a long time.”

“You’ve known me a long time.”

“I can trust Mike.”

“Can you really? That guy has a louder mouth than a fucking missionary selling bibles in the red light district. How can you trust him but not me?”

Amy gave another shrug, but this time took a sip of her drink to avoid saying anything.

Dan watched her carefully, “did you confide in Mike about the fake miscarriage?”

Amy made a sour face, “no. Of course not.”

“But you did with me.” he stated.

“I guess.”

“How come?”

“I mean everyone knows about the fake miscarriage. You know you weren’t the only one to come to my office when Janet was there and pretend to be all worried and shit.”

“You can trust me, Amy.” Dan said placing his drink down and gave her a look of resolve.

She let out a bitter laugh, “are you fucking kidding me, Dan? One, since when do you even care about any of this shit? And two, no I fucking can’t and if you try to convince me otherwise, I’m going to fucking walk out. Jesus. What’s going on with you today?”

Dan stared at her for a long minute and then looked down at his hands, “why did you give into Selina so easy when it came to the fake pregnancy shit?”

Amy looked a bit taken aback, but wiped the look away as quickly as it appeared, “because...well, you know why. You would’ve done it too.”

“Exactly. I would’ve done it too. Doesn’t that mean something?” Dan said giving her a pithy look.

She sighed heavily, “what’s your point?’

“My point is that when it shit gets tough, you need to count on someone and wouldn’t it make more sense to count on me instead of Mike?”

“You just threw me under the bus for that dumbass suicide pact that you came up with.”

“I was never going to out you.” Dan said giving her a come on look.

“Yeah?” she asked giving him a dubious look, “I’m not fucking stupid.”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

“No. Sometimes I think you think you’re the smartest person in the room. And you need to remember that when you’re in a room with me, you’re not.” she said emphatically.

Dan allowed his lips to spread wide across his face when she gave him that energetic look, “so competitive.”

“I’m just telling it like it is. Someone has to burst that ego.”

“What the fuck ever, Ames.” She smirked and chose not to answer as she took the remaining gulp from her drink. She glanced at the time and gave him what he thought was almost a disappointed look.

“You should be getting on with whatever sad desperate woman you have waiting on you and I have to go to bed to get up early tomorrow.” she said with some resolve. Dan stared at her debating if he could convince her to have one last drink. He decided not to push his luck.

“See you in Ohio?” he asked.

She glanced up from rummaging around her purse to make sure she had everything to answer, “yeah.”

He nodded once, paid, and then they both got up to leave.

As they were walking out, Dan looked down at her with a smirk, “so you’ll think about ousting Mike?”

“No.” she said without looking up from waving down a taxi.

He gave her a shark like grin, “you’ll change your mind.”

“Doubtful.” she muttered as she got into the taxi that had pulled up.

He watched her leave before hauling his own taxi; he had an early day tomorrow.

* * *

 

Tears were pointless, but in this case, Dan could admit that they were helping.

At least with Furlong and how Selina was coming across with the public.

Ohio was more of a shitshow than Dan had anticipated. He had figured that he’d go, set up, make nice with Furlong, then they’d be out of there before he could run into any of his booty calls in the Buckeye State.

Not that he would’ve minded seeing some of them, but he had other things he needed to concentrate on.

Like, Furlong wasn’t letting shit go and now Selina was acting like some crazed housewife that just found out her Valium prescription couldn’t be renewed at the pharmacy; crying at the drop of a hat and just acting even more crazy than usual.

He had briefly let the thought filter through his mind of finding somewhere else to work. But Selina was Veep and you couldn’t get higher than that, at least not when his only in at the President’s office was Jonah.

And honestly, he had no desire to work in the President’s office at least not under Hughes. He’d heard the horror stories and while Selina wasn’t an ideal choice, she wasn’t as useless as Hughes was.

Plus he had some other reasons for wanting to stay.

However, that didn’t mean he could deal with Selina acting as batshit as she was. Dan just couldn’t believe she had so many tears ready to fall when someone just needled her a little. But those tears had worked and seemed to be the missing key they needed.

And now instead of being in the shitter, they were on top of the fucking world.

With just a few tears, Selina had turned into an overnight sensation.

He fucking loved politics sometimes and how so much could be turned around in less than 12 hours.

Especially when it worked in his - or their - favor.

This turn of events had gotten him (sorta) in the good graces of Furlong.

However, Dan needed something a bit stronger to drive it home that he wasn’t going to be put through the ringer because of the Macauley Amendment.

Furlong would hang that amendment over his head until he either broke or it wasn’t an issue anymore, but at least it wasn’t as bad as it had been before thanks to VeepWeep.

What the fuck was his job turning into? Crying Veeps, blackmailing Governor-to-bes, drinks with Amy who didn’t nag him and just sat on the phone as long as he did without needing conversation... He had to wonder what was going to come next.

“Why do you look so moppy?” Amy asked finally looking up from her screen and focusing on his face.

They had been sitting in silence for the last thirty minutes, each absorbed in their own phones to pay the other one any mind. Which he enjoyed more than he was willing to admit. Some people just talked and talked and talked when he was trying to sift through a fuck ton of emails, but if there was one thing he could count on, it was Amy having to search through her own bullshit emails.

Dan glanced up and sighed heavily, “Furlong keeps threatening me with shit. He’s going to try to fuck me like the last standing virgin at a fraternity party. It’s stressing me the fuck out...but, I can’t seem to care I’m so…” he trailed off feeling a deep sense of exhaustion and general fucked-ness.

Going back and forth with Furlong earlier while trying to get Selina to endorse, then not endorse was the shittiest 20 minutes of his life. Plus talking to Larry about corpse fucking...it was enough to make anyone take 50 Valium and not want to wake up.

Essentially, he felt like a puppet getting fucked up the ass. And he didn’t like feeling used. At least in that context. But at least endorsing was the right move because everything seemed to be looking fan-fucking-tastic for them.

He should be celebrating not perseverating on this fucking amendment bullshit.

So he did something that was rapidly becoming a habit - he texted Amy because he knew she was getting off on the highs and lows of the day as well.

She did have to deal with a crying Selina after all and even though her ratings were increasing, he knew the day had taken its toll on Amy.

She hated crying.

She hated having to deal with crying.

Just like him.

He sometimes wondered how she could call him the sociopath when she was so uncomfortable with having to comfort someone else.

“So? Just don’t let him. You’re Dan Egan. Come up with some convoluted way to fuck him before he fucks you. It’s basic Sociopath 101.” Amy said dismissively.

Dan glanced over at her with a look of awe he didn’t even try to cover up. His eyes trailed down to the table in front of them and noticed she had finished her third drink, which if he knew Amy’s drink-o-meter, it meant she was feeling a bit tipsy. “How much have you had to drink?” he asked suspiciously.

“Enough to feel okay with giving you a compliment.” she said smiling widely at him.

In return, he grinned in amusement when he saw the glassiness in her eyes.

“I’ll need to catch up then.” he mused.

Glancing over at the bar, he waved down the bartender and pointing to his drink to signal that he was ready to order another drink.

“I don’t think you could catch up even with ordering Tequila shots; I had a good day.” she said offhandedly going back to her phone.

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

She glanced up with a look that he wasn’t sure how to describe.

“What?” he asked.

“You can’t use this against me.” she said with a mixture of trepidation and pride on her face.

“What is it?” he asked raising his eyebrows.

She bit her lip and cast her eyes down.

Dan was suddenly hit with an urge to lean forward and kiss her.

That look of nervousness was something that made a weird hot sensation tingle in his belly. It wasn’t something he normally saw on her and just seeing a dash of vulnerability...well, it was simultaneously strange and hot.

It was weird.

He could admit that to himself at least that seeing Amy vulnerable and nervous was a turn on, but he quickly dismissed the thought before it could stick in his head.

Before she could answer though, the bartender returned with his drink and Dan took a slow sip waiting for Amy to gather her thoughts and spill them to him. He watched her open and close her mouth several times before letting out a long sigh and leaning forward on the table with her hands tangling into her hair.

“No I can’t.” she said finally shaking her head.

“Can’t what?” he asked putting his drink down on the table and watching as she seemed to go back and forth with herself. Her hands tangled further in her hair and she huddled further into her seat.

“Ames, come on. It’s me.”

“Yeah. I know. That’s why I fucking can’t.” she said shrilly staring straight ahead and around him instead of looking at him.

He scowled and glared at her, “Ames, Amy, just tell me.”

She groaned and shook her head. “I just...it was...I need another drink.”

“No, you don’t. Just be honest with me.”

“Oh yeah, like the way you’ve been honest with me?” she snipped.

She moved to pick up her drink, seemed to remember that it was empty, and then set it back down.

He pushed forward his own drink to signal that she could have some, but she pushed it back and threw herself against the back of the chair with a petulant look on her face.

“Why are you even here?” she gripped suddenly.

He chuckled, “because we’re unfortunately staying in this shit-style hotel.”

“It’s actually really not that shitty,” she mused.

“They have over 1000 channels on the TV plus movies.”

He chuckled and finished off his drink, “no, I guess it’s not. But that’s besides the point. I’m here because we’re supposed to be happy about getting up in the polls.”

“I am happy.”

He nodded dismissively.

“Are you?” she asked.

He was silent and looked down at his phone for the millionth time. If he was honest with himself, it was the waiting that was the worst. Waiting to see what would happen next with the Macauley Amendment or if someone else who shouldn’t know was going to find out. He may have lost a few hours of sleep over it.

“Dan, I...Selina crying...we uh...Mike and I orchestrated it. That’s what I wanted to tell you.” she blurted out through a lot of stutters.

He felt his stomach drop a bit and then his heart rate increase.

“She started crying with Furlong and well, Mike just came to me with an idea when she got on that stupid talk show and I just...I thought it could help us, so we made her cry.” she rambled quickly and in a hushed voice.

Dan continued to stare at her not knowing what to say.

On the one hand, if it was found out that they had purposefully made Selina cry on TV to get support on their side, then it could seem, well pretty cold and fucked up. The desire to make her look more human could result in making her look more unrelatable.

On the other hand, Amy being so cunning and manipulative, well, if he thought nervous looked good on Amy, then it had nothing on her darker side.

Which he already knew, but still finding out she had orchestrated that...genius and heinous move.

Well it was a turn on.

“It’s not something I’ll do again, but it felt...Dan, we’re finally not having to struggle with some big fuck up. We had a big win today with Ohio and if I had to make Selina cry to do it, I’d do it again. In a fucking heartbeat.” she said conspiratorially.

He watched her eyes get a bit brighter, her cheeks a little more red, her shoulders less tense, and the hem of her shirt drop a bit to reveal pale, smooth skin.

“So I guess that’s one more thing this administration has to fucking bury if anything gets out about us.”

The desire to kiss her was raging through his veins as his eyes stayed trained on her. “Dan, say something. You’re looking at me weirdly.” she said finally when he still hadn’t replied to her admission.

“You’re right. We did win.” he said smoothly and then without warning he leaned in and planted a hard kiss on her lips.

He felt her still beside him and he wondered if he was going to get a big slap for this, but as quickly as she tensed up, she relaxed and then suddenly they were heatedly making out in the hotel bar.

Her hands were dragging through his hair and her teeth were nipping at his bottom lip the way he really liked, but had never told her that he enjoyed.

His hands were cupping her face to keep her close and she tasted just as she had all of the years ago when they had first stepped over the line.

A low strange pull began in his stomach, so he pulled her closer too enraptured in the taste and feel of her to want to stop. Even though they were in a place where anyone could see them.

That thought was like a splash of cold water and he pulled away reluctantly.

The sweet and spicy taste of her still lingering on his lips. A taste he hadn’t been able to find on anyone else.

Or replicate no matter how much he had wanted to with another woman.

While he’d kissed a lot of women and he planned to kiss more after tonight, no one kissed the same way Amy did. She had a way of making him...well, it didn’t matter.

She was just Amy Brookheimer.

And he just liked her for her brain.

And ambition.

Nothing more.

He let his eyes open and saw her’s were already trained on him with - for once - a look he couldn’t read.

“What the fuck was that?” she whispered.

“A celebration of our big win.” he said giving her a smirk that hopefully covered up how worried he was that she’d take their kiss (or several kisses) and turn it into a slap across his cheek.

He knew she would be good at a bitch slap.

She had the tense-anger for it.

She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands before glancing back up at him.

“Dan--”

“Don’t. Amy, just stop thinking for an hour or two--” She snorted at that.

“And come to my room. Just for a nightcap.” She rolled her eyes at that.

“I just...need…” he trailed off not knowing how to finish the sentence.

She stared at him long and hard, “are you drunk?”

“No. Are you?”

“No.”

The silence hung heavy between them.

“Are you still worried about the M-word?” she asked breaking it.

He frowned not sure what that had to do with anything, “why--”

“Are you?”

He stared at her and then nodded, “yeah.”

She smirked slightly and then stood up to walk to the elevator.

He watched her for a moment too long before he subtly got up to follow her in a manner that was not in a hurry by any means.

* * *

 

A few days later when everything went to shit over #FakeVeepWeep breaking and his almost-promotion, then Jonah of all people canceling drinks on him, which was humiliating enough that he would even think he’d want to go for drinks, followed by Furlong finally making good on his promise by barging into the office, he wondered if maybe Amy not mentioning what happened between them was the first sign that everything was going to go to shit.

After they had gone up to his hotel room, it was a trip down memory lane.

And then before his heartbeat (and he figured hers as well) had gone back down to normal, she was already getting off the mattress, gathering her clothes, and locking herself in the bathroom.

When she emerged, she made her way to the door without a backward glance.

And then the next day, it was like nothing had changed between them.

He wasn’t sure what to think about that and now he didn’t have time to think about it at all.

They had too much of a shitshow to deal with. But then after Selina had tried to promote him and the shitpot he’d cooked up had come to light, he heard her say,” _I did warn you, ma’am_ ” and he wondered if maybe she was really talking about herself as well as Selina.

And he wondered if he should be an asshole and mention their night together, so that he could pop the bubble she created for herself to keep him at a distance.

But then again, he figured if he popped that bubble of fraught sexual tension, caustic remarks, and secrets that neither of them ever wanted to acknowledge, then maybe he would get that bitch slap the next time he kissed her.

Because he knew without a doubt, there would be another slip up on his part.

Perhaps when they are celebrating like last time or maybe when they got a big win for the party or it was a late night in the office. They were around each other all of the time, so it was bound to happen.

So for now, he decided to do a very un-Dan-like thing and keep quiet, at least until he could pull his trump card on her.


	4. Stroke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Midterms and Amy's dad has a stroke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone reading! I hope you guys are liking it! For the next few chapters, the POV will be changing a bit, but I'll keep you guys up to date. Also, with the new season starting soon (yay!) I hope you guys continue to read! I'll still be continuing on my plan, regardless of what happens in season 7 (but hopefully it's all good things). Please let me know what you think and enjoy the next chapter.

_I did warn you._

_I did warn you._

_I did warn you._

The words filtered around and through Amy’s head for weeks after she had delivered them to Selina.

It was one of those moments when you realize what you were saying was going to stick to you as you were saying it.

Like a piece of gum on your shoe.

Or a stage five clinger after a one night stand.

She wasn’t sure what she had been thinking when she let Dan-Egotistical-Egan back into her bed.

Sure, she’d had a few drinks.

And they previously had decent sex - okay, maybe really good sex - from what she could remember.

But letting him back into her bed was going against everything she had strived to be in the last few years.

She was stronger, independent, and older than the last time she had, had a weak moment and let Dan into her bed.

After all, she wasn’t 23 anymore.

Also, she had the advantage of actually knowing him.

And that in and of itself should’ve told her to stay away from him.

The first and only time that they had slept together she had chalked it up to her one and only weak moment that she could allow herself when it came to Dan.

And that was what she had always wanted to leave it as.

Now, she couldn’t say it was a mistake.

Now it was a little something closer to reality.

She had slept with him twice.

Once when she didn’t know him at all and was acting on a whim.

And the second time when she was taking a little too much pleasure in his less than poised demeanor and was getting off on their big win.

But then again, she had enjoyed seeing him so...ruffled and anxious about the Macauley Amendment. 

There was something about a nervous and uncomfortable Dan that just satisfied her. It made her feel comforted as if knowing that Dan was off his game was making her feel more like she was on hers. 

However, it could’ve just been the alcohol she had consumed that led her to making this poor decision.

After all, it wasn’t unheard of.

Perhaps, she had really been drunk.

Or she was suffering from some short term moment of insanity for going weak in the knees at _just one kiss_.

What the fuck was wrong with her?

Unfortunately, it was a question that had been haunting her a lot recently.

And regrettably, as much as she’d like to pretend to not know the answer, she knew that she did. 

But because she didn’t have time for that kind of shit and instead of focusing on the very real feelings she may or may not be developing, she shoved them way deep down where she kept everything she didn’t want to deal with - her shitty relationship with her sister, the fact that her first boyfriend cheated on her after she’d lost her virginity to him, the many terrible names she’d been called by the media, and Dan as a whole.

It was easier this way to just not deal with any feelings that may or may not have been awoken when he had kissed her and they had returned to his hotel room in _fucking Ohio_.

After all, she had promised herself that when Dan had started to work with them that she wouldn’t get tangled up in the shitstorm that would inevitably occur around him.

She knew what he was.

She’d already been burned by him and staying away was supposed to be a part of the plan.

And then she slept with him.

Again.

So telling herself that she was drunk - she wasn’t - was better.

And the fact that Dan hadn’t brought it up _at all_ just helped her sleep better at night.

It wasn’t like she was tossing and turning wondering when Dan was going to pull that tidbit of information out on her.

Anyway, who cared if sometimes she let herself think of his lips while she touched herself when she was feeling particularly frustrated from a long day.

No one needed to know.

But it didn’t make it any better when the words she had spoken to Selina - _I did warn you_ \- were hovering over her head waiting to smack her in a cliche ‘I told you so’ fashion when Dan did something particularly horrible and Dan-like.

He was already under speculation as is after the promotion-that-never-happened and the shitshow with Furlong waiting to come to pass, she knew that he was probably hiding something up his sleeve.

She’d give her brand new cell phone up if whatever shitty thing he was planning didn’t somehow link back to her. 

In some fucking way, she knew that whatever he came up with would drag her into it. 

Amy watched Dan meander around the office. Sitting behind her desk with documents surrounding her, her favorite pen in hand, and her cell phone situated comfortably beside her left hand ready to be grabbed when it buzzed, she tried to concentrate on the task in front of her, but she couldn’t seem to because Dan was pacing in front of her desk. 

The Midterms were tonight and he was quietly freaking out in front of her. 

But that was nothing new.

He had been doing that a lot recently.

Thank God whenever he did decide to corner her after the _Ohio Incident_ \- as she’d dubbed it in her mind - there was some aid or intern lurking around ready to be used as a shield to make sure they weren’t alone. 

She wasn’t sure what horrible things Dan would say to her if they were ever left alone.

So it was better to just avoid the whole thing by never being alone with him.

Amy didn’t have the desire to hear about how fat she was compared to the other women he slept with or how she breathed too loudly or whatever when they were in the middle of fucking.

As Dan turned sharply at one end of the room to swing back toward the other, she glanced over at Mike who was watching from the doorway with a sandwich in his hand.

She bit her lip to avoid from laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

In the recent weeks, Gary and Mike had enjoyed mocking Dan about his apparent nerves and the uncharacteristic like demeanor he had taken.

He swung back and forth between nervous and aggressive.

Generally, she had found that his aggressiveness had stemmed from the nerves, but no one else had figured that out yet.

However, as aggressive as he had been, Amy knew that deep underneath he didn’t particularly mean any of it - he was just flipping a shit.

It didn’t take a genius to figure that out, but it seemed that Amy was the only one who had picked up on it. 

It was the way his hands couldn’t stop moving, the many caffeinated drinks he was consuming, and the eye bulges that he’d taken to adding to his mannerisms to get his point across.

Today, his demeanor was a bit different than other days.

He had been pacing non-stop in her office for the better part of the day and kept asking her questions that varied from inane to repetitive.  
  
Questions like what do you want to do for lunch to what if Furlong put him behind bars? _What then, Ames?_

It was weird and she didn’t like it, but it was easier to pretend she didn’t care rather than admit she was only _slightly_ worried about his off behavior.

She knew her caring would probably freak him out even more.

After all, she worked very hard to portray a fuck-off attitude or a not-caring one whenever Dan was around, especially after Ohio. 

Besides, she found his own bouts of psychosis a bit comforting, it was like knowing he actually had feelings and he did get flustered, he didn’t just pretend he was a sociopathic robot who could easily fuck you over because you didn’t agree with something he said.

Or fuck you for information because he wanted to use it against you. 

She sorta liked knowing he had feelings and he could get a little - or a lot - riled up. She knew that he was human and somewhere deep inside his body his heart beat like hers - or you know everyone’s.

As she watched Dan mutter to himself and pace the length of her office, she wondered why he had chosen her area to have this mild meltdown in.

The rug in front of Selina’s office was just as good and he could pretend he was getting pumped up for the Midterms.

Anyone that walked by her office would just think Dan was being his usual irritating self, but she knew better.

This was him having a silent meltdown and for whatever reason he’d decided to have it in her office, right near her.

She didn’t get it.

She figured she would be the last person he’d want to show any weaknesses too.

She wanted to tell him to suck it up and just face the facts, but if she was in his position - well, she’d never put herself in that position - she’d be freaking out too.

So she decided to continue trying to ignore him and focus on the documents in front of her until the start of the reporting of the Midterm Elections. 

At least then the tension would start to be lifted and hopefully everything that was wrong would be righted.

For now though, she would silently do her work and allow Dan to go through the motions of worrying about the Midterms, after all, it wasn’t like she had anything to worry about...

* * *

 

“Amy, it’s your mother.” 

Amy rolled her eyes because of course it was her mother. Even if it wasn’t for the fact she had caller ID on her phone, no one would have enough balls to call her on Midterm Election Night.

She was busy tonight and Selina was having a meltdown about how bad the party was doing in the Midterms. She had shit to do and her mother--

  
“It’s your father.”

  
Amy glanced over at Selina who was going on and on and about Cartier dildos and her first thought was that she hoped her mother didn’t hear what the Vice President was saying. “I’m sorta...what’s wrong?” she asked because she knew she was never going to hear the end of it from her mother if she put her job first _again_ before family. 

“He had a stroke.”

It took a few moments for the petite blonde’s mind to actually wrap her mind around what her mother was saying.

“What?” she breathed.

“Daddy had a stroke. He’s...he’s asking for you, honey. Do you think you can come to the hospital? We’re not sure how bad it is. He can still speak although, what he said doesn’t make much sense. Do you know what he means when he said he feels worse than that one time he ate gay Jap raw fish shit? What is that? Sushi? Do you think he’s talking about sushi? Sophie is here with her kids, but she’s so pregnant and tired and she’s being...will you please come, sweetheart? Daddy would like you here.” her mom rambled.

Amy stood there staring at Selina as she prattle on and on and then she looked over at Gary who was nodding along with what she was saying. She wanted to step out of the room, but she wasn’t sure if her legs would work.

Her dad had a stroke.

Her mom wanted her to leave to go to the hospital.

But it was the Midterms.

Her dad had a stroke.

Her mom wasn’t making sense.

What was gay Jap raw fish shit?

What the fuck.

“What hospital?” she heard herself ask.

Her mother told her the name of the hospital and then she quickly said goodbye because Selina was asking her if she was listening and honestly she wasn’t sure what to do right now.

Her job was her life and she took it very seriously.

But her dad...her dad had a stroke.

“Uh yes.” she said and she shook her head a little and gripped the tiny talking device in her hand. “My mom just called.” she blurted out because Selina was looking like she was going to enter into another tirad and Gary was staring at her a little nervously and she wasn’t sure what her face was doing right now, but she just needed to...was this happening?

“My dad had a stroke.” 

For a moment, she felt an out of body experience, like she was watching herself from afar in this surreal section in time and she wasn’t sure what to do with her hands, but continue to squeeze her phone as a life force.

It was the easiest option when she wasn’t sure what else to do.

If she didn’t squeeze her phone, she was worried...she was worried that she’d shed some tears.

And that wasn’t happening when she had so much other shit to deal with.

The party was losing.

Selina was going ape shit.

Mike was going on about boats.

Kent Davidson was back, but she was trying to keep that on no one’s radar until it really needed to come out.

She couldn’t deal with her...with her dad and...her dad had a stroke.

Selina and Gary’s faces crumpled up and she felt a sinking sensation start in her stomach. Why had she said anything at all? It would’ve been easier to just...pretend it wasn’t happening and get on with the Midterm Elections. 

Now, people were going to get those pity faces and she hated those pity faces. She didn’t want to deal with those pity fucking faces.  
She watched as Gary looked at her worriedly and Selina began to ask if she needed to go, but she just wanted to stay here because staying here would be easier and she wouldn’t have to see her dad...her dad looking like he just had a stroke. 

They started asking her questions about her dad and how bad it was and she began to think about him dying and how fucking awful it would be to have to deal with a ton of people asking those questions and making lots of those pity faces.

And then she realized she didn’t know the answers to any of them.

But more importantly, she didn’t really want to know some of the answers to them.

How bad was it?

Was he going to be okay?

And then Selina went on about the Midterms and how her dad would be appalled if she turned up when it was such an important night.

And Amy tried to ignore the burning sensation at how Selina would of course make this about her when her dad had just had a fucking stroke.

It would be easier to just stay and work and pretend what was happening wasn’t actually occurring because when it came to feelings...well it was easier to just bury them deep and unearth them never. 

If she could just stay in the Midterm bubble, maybe - maybe everything would just be okay and normal and...her dad having a stroke would just not be a big deal if she didn’t act like it was a big deal.

What was she supposed to do?

“...if you need to go, Amy, you should go.”

“No, I’m good, I’m here.” she said, but even as she said it, she wasn’t sure that was all true. 

How could she be okay when she had to deal with this on top of the Midterms?

Why did people have strokes anyway? Was it something he ate? Was it a heart thing? It was a heart thing, right? 

“So you got what I said before?” Selina asked and Amy just remembered Cartier dildos, so she blurted that out because her mind was a little bit more on her dad than she wanted to admit, but Selina wouldn’t like that answer and she just...needed...to...her dad had a stroke.

  
She looked over at Gary who was going on about Dana and then Sue was in the room snapping at him.

Suddenly, she felt like the last 10 minutes had just been a moment in a different person’s life and she pushed the conversation with her mother and her dad’s stroke to the depths of her mind, so she could concentrate on the Midterms.

It was easier this way.

  
She could deal with blue and red states and Senators and crying Congress Members who hadn’t been re-elected, but more importantly, she was able to control what was going on around her and if she went to the hospital, if she saw her dad, she wouldn’t be able to control what happened when she entered that room where her dad was sitting in some gross hospital bed looking - looking like he just had a fucking stroke.

  
She’d worry about it later when she didn’t have the Midterms on her mind, but the gnawing sensation to check in with her family wouldn’t leave her alone.

* * *

 

Once she was sure that Selina nor Gary - because let’s face it, Gary was basically Selina’s watch dog - wouldn’t notice her slipping away, she made her way to the restroom to get her shit together. While she thought that she was doing a good job of holding it together, she just needed a moment to herself to just breathe. 

Her father had a stroke and she was still at work.

Did that make her a bad daughter?

Was she supposed to go to the hospital?

Would he look at her differently knowing that she stayed at work when he was in the hospital?

How serious was it?

Would her father die and she’d regret these final moments she could’ve had with him for the rest of her life?

Was she finally living out her fear of being as useless as she sometimes felt around her family?

She rounded the corner to go to the bathrooms when low and behold Dan was exiting the men’s room with his phone in his hand. 

For a brief moment, she considered moving her perpetually attached cell phone in her hand to the front of her own face, but before she could even make the attempt to do so, Dan glanced up and caught her eye before she could look away

His lips curved into a smirk when his eyes landed on her and she cringed inwardly because they were virtually alone in the hallway.

All of the interns, aids, and all of the other possible people who could interrupt them were in the other parts of the building worrying about the party losing their hold on the House and the Senate. 

They were totally alone.

And for the first time in weeks, Dan wasn’t the most unhinged person between the two of them.

“Dan.” she said stiffly before increasing her pace just a smidge to move around him to safely make it to the door of the bathroom.

Her eyes were zeroed in on it and she was determined to get there before--

“Brookheimer.” he greeted moving to block her path.

She sighed and glanced up at him with what she hoped was a look that portrayed his early demise right there before the bathrooms and on Midterm Election Night.

It would save both of them the trouble of having to re-hash Ohio.

“What do you want?” she snipped.

“How’s it going in the Veep’s dungeon? Has Gary wet himself yet by trying to make sure that Selina isn’t having a major meltdown? Is

Mike eating himself to death?” Dan inquired before getting momentarily distracted by his phone when it vibrated in his hand.

Amy glanced down at her own phone and saw that Mike had texted her to ask where she was, so she knew she was already on thin ice.

“Have you seen your career flash before your eyes as you wait to find out about Furlong?”

Dan shot a scowl at her before turning his attention back to his phone, “By the way, Mike mentioned about your da--”

“Shut up.”

“What?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Dan stared at her for a minute before his attention was directed back to his phone.

“You know--”

“Nope. Not having my-dad-had-a-stroke conversation with you, Dan.”

“Ames--”

“I just need to get through the Midterms and then I can...figure out the rest.” she said a little more loudly than she meant to.

“You know, it’s pretty amazing that you’re not even going to check on your dad after he had a stroke. It makes you wonder who the real sociopath is, you know, out of the two of us.” he gestured between them with his cell phone, before offering her a patronizing smile, and lowering his eyes back to his phone.

She glowered at him, “just because I’m not rushing off to the hospital doesn’t mean I don’t care.”

“I mean, out of everyone I’d expect that from you. Everyone else would be out of here at the drop of a hat, even if it’s the Midterms.” he said without looking up, too busy with checking articles, writing emails or text messages, or more likely, checking his fucking fantasy football team to actually give her any attention.

Her glower intensified because she could tell he was enjoying making her angry. She hoped that he could feel the heat of her eyes penetrating through his thick skull. She wished momentarily that he’d just burst into flames, so she didn’t have to deal with his fucking patronizing egotistical bullshit. He knew that staring at his cell phone was a surefire way to piss her off and he wasn’t disappointing. 

“If this is some plow to get me to leave, so you can show everyone how much better you are than I am, then--”

“Come off it, Ames. I’m just stating the fact that maybe we aren’t so different. Sociopath to sociopath.”

Amy felt her hackles rise, “I’d rather cut off my own tits than hear you compare us again. I’m nothing like you and I’m by far not a sociopath.”

Dan let out a deep chuckle as he finally looked up from his phone, but his eyes went to the body part she had just mentioned.

“Before you chop them off and rid your body of what little femininity you do have, could I at least enjoy another go at them? I feel like in Ohio--”

“Fucking gross, Dan. You’re such a prick.”

She watched as his eyes darkened and the only sound in the hallway were the perpetual buzzing of their phones. He ignored the vibration in his hand and held his gaze with hers for what she felt like was too long before looking over at the bathroom. He had an unreadable look on his face.

“Midterms can be stressful.” he stated in a low tone.

She rolled her eyes, “no shit, Sherlock. Even fucking Gary could’ve--”

“Maybe you could do with some _stress relief_.” he said turning back toward her and giving her a lecherous look before nodding his head toward the doors of the bathroom.

She crinkled her nose at him, “Are you fucking serious right now?”

He shrugged and ignored his phone going off for a second time. 

“My dad just had a fucking stroke and you’re suggesting...there is just so much wrong with you. You’re like - you’re like a--” 

Dan’s grin widened and he allowed his eyes to scan over her body in a lazily and lascivious manner causing the spite-filled words to die on her lips.

She suppressed a shiver at the look of fervor in his eyes and told herself that he was just messing with her. “Come on, if it was really that serious, you’d be with your family, right? And besides, it’s a tense and stressful night…”

She clenched her teeth together and kept her eyes trained on his because she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of allowing her own eyes to trail down his not-in-the-least-desirable body.

One part of her was appalled that he’d even suggest...that. But the other part, the part that couldn’t seem to just fucking relax, the part where her shoulders were squashed up to her ears and her head was starting to produce a stress headache...that part could do with something to alleviate the pent up frustration she was experiencing.

And maybe it would get her mind off of everything for just a little while.

Could it really be that easy?

Could he just make everything go away with just a quick bathroom romp?

Could she give in one more time to him? 

Would it really be the worst thing in the word?

Her mind floated back to the fact that he had determined it wasn’t serious because of how she was acting.

And how he’d called her a sociopath.

She knew she wasn’t. 

But just hearing that...

Was it saying something that Dan Egan was making that assumption based on the fact she was literally choosing the Midterms over her own family?

But the fact that he’d even pointed out that it wasn’t serious when she didn’t know, she couldn’t help but second guess herself.

Instead of feeling interested in the possibility of a work romp, she felt unsettled and that feeling was worming its way into her gut even though she tried to push it down and back to where it belonged.

Her grip on her phone tightened as the indecision began to leak into her eyes, which made him look like the cat that ate the canary at the mere fact that he seemed to have cornered her and caused such emotions within her.

While she knew disappearing for a quick fuck with Dan wouldn’t be the worst thing she did today, it was that fact that held her back.

After all, shouldn’t she be at the hospital with her family instead of standing here and contemplating fucking Dan?

And shouldn’t she feel in the slightest bit guilty for the fact she wasn’t at the hospital and instead debating fucking Dan to offset her own stress from the many situations that were causing her to feel so...unsettled?

“Come on, Ames, it’s Midterm Election Night.”

“You say that like it’s Prom.”

He gave a half shrug and glanced back down at his phone in an attempt to act nonchalant.

“It’s essentially the same thing.”

She could see right through him as he began to type on his phone.

Which was a cold and sobering thought.

Instead of answering - mostly she was just afraid of what would come out of her mouth - she gulped down any possible responses and pushed past him to head into the bathroom.

She heard him say something, but she didn’t catch what it was because the door shut, cutting him off.

* * *

 

When she exited the bathroom, sometime later and Selina began to go into a spiel about Kent Davidson being back and Dan narrowed in on her because she had been on the campaign trail with him, well she finally felt herself break.

“You have to go and see your dad.” 

And a few minutes later, she found herself gathering her things to head to the hospital.

Not wanting to go, but knowing that it could possibly be the last time she saw her dad alive.

She had no desire to feel that guilt for the rest of her life.

Or let her sister hang that guilt over her head.

And as that fact sunk in, she felt tears that hadn’t welled in her eyes in years began to blurry her vision.

* * *

 

When Amy got to the hospital, she was annoyed to find that her heart was hammering and her eyes were a smidge more misty than she would’ve liked. Regardless, she made a pit stop in the bathroom to make sure she looked her usual professional self before heading to the room her dad was residing in.

It wasn’t like she cared what she looked like, but she didn’t want to worry her parents and her sister was liable to smell weakness like obese people could smell newly baked goods. 

“Got here as soon as I could.” she said stepping into the hospital room to find her dad completely...fine.

What the fuck.

She was called down here from the Midterms for this?

Before she could begin to question why the heart monitor wasn’t on and her dad was sitting in bed eating pudding, her sister made a snappy comment at her about fitting her family into her busy schedule.

Which while she wasn’t the most family driven, she wasn’t a complete monster that she’d skip her father’s possible eleventh hour.

But the fact that she had taken longer than she had intended to didn’t go ignored. Unfortunately, it was fucking Sophie who had to point it out because, of course, it would be.

“She means hi, honey.” her mom said butting in before she could respond.

Instead, Amy focused on the heart monitor and the fact it wasn’t even on, which then revealed the fact that they weren’t even sure if it _actually_ was a stroke.

Amy looked across at her sister, who was large and pregnant and seemed more pissed off than usual, and then at her parents who were sitting patiently and watching her tentatively.

“Okay, you said dad was dying.” Amy blurted out feeling a little lost and a lot pissed off that she had been guilted into hauling ass across town on the night of the Midterms.

It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her father.

She did love him; he was her father.

However, her family never fully understood why she gave up so much just for politics. 

Since she had started to work at the ripe age of 16 in various capacities - ranging from volunteering for campaigns to cold calling - her family never really understood her priorities. It was an ongoing issue that her family didn’t understand why she worked long hours and so frequently.

They thought she was a workaholic.

She was just very enthusiastic about her job.

They didn’t understand why she worked so hard when she made the medium bucks. 

She didn’t understand why they didn’t get it.

“Well, I’m so sorry to disappoint you, Amy.” Sophie snarled, drawing her sister’s name out to make it sound like a dirty word.

Rolling her eyes, Amy moved to kiss her father on the check and hug her mother before going out of her way to ignore her sister. Her mother said that she was being temperamental because of her hormones, but Amy knew that was just an excuse, Sophie was a bitch and always had been.

As she tried to ignore her sister and focus on her dad, she felt her phone begin to buzz with an incoming text message.

Momentarily glancing at her phone, she saw she had a text from Dan giving her details about how he was waiting for Selina to ‘pee-pee’ as she had stated before they went to corner Kent Davidson and get him to crack. A second text message popped up a few seconds later saying:

 _Gary is going fucking mental over some lipstick. Not sure what’s worse. Watching Gary have a conniption over some shit-named makeup or hearing Selina detail her bodily functions to me. You’re just missing some laughable moments and future inside jokes._

She bit her lip to stop from smiling because as much of an asshole as Dan was and she hated how he got under her skin, he also knew exactly what she needed even in the shittiest circumstances.

Hearing about the office instead of focusing on her dad was exactly what she needed.

Although, she wouldn’t thank him and he wouldn’t want her to mention it.

Looking up from her cell phone, she found her sister staring at her with a haughty look and Amy assumed it was because she hadn’t responded to the dig about not working for Google.

“What are you smiling at?” Sophie asked wrapping her arms around her chest.

Amy ignored her and chose to sit down near her parents to wait for the results on whether it was a stroke or not.

Except Amy wasn’t so good at waiting and she found herself checking her phone in between long silences in the hospital room. After going through the required speech about her working too long and too many hours, the multiple questions about what happened to her father, and then it circled to Sophie and how she was feeling with Baby Number Three on the way, the four family members fell into silence.

While Amy loved her family, she found them...to be too much, which is why she generally tried to get out of any family event that she could. Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, and spontaneous Sunday dinners, she tried to avoid as much as possible. 

It was just they had nothing in common except they shared the same blood, last name, and shade of blonde hair.

And while she tried more with her parents than she did with her sister, she just knew that after exhausting all of the usual topics of conversation, she was generally left to sit in awkward silences with them, especially now that they were in a hospital room waiting on her dad’s test results.

They honestly had nothing in common.

Amy was driven, career oriented, and working in the government.

While her sister was a cashier at CVS and that spoke for itself, her dad had worked the same job in finance for the last 35 years and her mother had always been a stay-at-home mom working to raise the two of them and keep the house in shape. 

Amy never wanted kids and her mother didn’t understand that.

Just like Amy didn’t understand the appeal of staying at home and raising some brats.

Sophie had started to have kids at a young age and Amy didn’t really interact with her niece and nephew. 

She didn’t know how to act around children.

She didn’t know what they wanted.

It was easier to just give them money during holidays and stay away from them the other times she ended up at family events.

Her mother had always wanted Amy to have kids because of the cliche reasons that she didn’t agree with. Her family just didn’t get her and while that was usually okay, it made time spent with them seem longer than it really should.

And more painful.

Maybe that’s why she felt so guilty for taking so long to show up at the hospital.

Because she already had a pretty strenuous relationship with her parents and one filled with animosity with her sister.

Putting off spending time with them was just a little expected.

Before she could find some inane conversation topic, her phone started to ring and she saw it was Gary. She debated for a few seconds on whether she wanted to put up with a speech about putting family first just for Gary, but her desire to know why he was calling when he seemed the most empathetic won out.

“What?” 

Gary proceeded to go on a whole rant about the missing Sunburst lipstick and to get him to shut the fuck up and for her to get out of this uncomfortable situation of waiting in silence with her parents, she said a quick ‘back soon’ to her dad to head back to the White House. 

Before she left, she couldn’t resist poking fun at her sister who was positively bristling at how she was taking off when she’d barely been there 90 minutes.

“Hope your boss at CVS is okay with you taking time off.” Amy said already ordering an Uber before she was even out of the room.

“Always with the last word. That’s why your single. Guys hate that.”

Amy resisted flicking her off and instead replied with, “You have three kids by two different guys. Maybe your last word should’ve been no.” 

And then she was out the door and for once in her life, thankful for Gary, for getting her out of an uncomfortable family encounter even if it was for some fucking lipstick and she had to deal with Dana.

* * *

 

Amy leaned against the wall and boredly scrolled through Politico. She had already called her mother to check in about her father and tell her she’d be there first thing in the morning when Selina went to bed after the 27 interviews they had to finish, which Kent had so generously lined up for her.

While the rest of the team was feeling exhausted and annoyed at Kent for making them suffer through the 27 interviews, Amy wasn’t feeling in the least bit concerned. 

She got out of her family hospital obligations, which ultimately didn’t sound as bad as it really should when the prognosis for her father came back.

It wasn’t a stroke, but he had to watch his health because he was getting older and he had to start eating better. While the outcome wasn’t bad per say, she was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

However, if she didn’t have to worry about it right now, then she’d push it to the back of her mind to be anxious about later.  
Her family could wait for a bit and her work could continue thinking her father was in the red zone if it let her get off the hook for leaving on Midterms night, but for right now, she’d just allow everyone to think the worst.

Sometimes it was easier to just not say anything and let people assume.

With her family off her back and the team being a bit more sympathetic to her, she had some time to think.

Now that Midterms were ending, she would need to start strategizing about what would come next. Obviously, she would spearhead the next steps of what to expect for the second term of the Hughes and Meyer Administration. It wasn’t exactly a winning situation, but it was what it was and she’d work her ass off to make sure the next two years were in Selina’s favor, especially if there was a possible presidential campaign in the future.

As for her personal life, it was good to know that she seemed to be able to juggle both her family and her career, at least when they both stopped busting her fucking balls long enough for her to breathe.

While she knew she’d probably never hear the end of having to go see her father in the hospital on Midterms Night, she also knew that doing so would get her family off her back, at least until after Christmas when she most likely had to work through it again.

And if Selina wouldn’t let it go, then she’d casually remind her of the miscarriage situation.

“What number are we on?” 

Amy looked up to see Dan leaning against the wall beside her. His suit was a bit more rumpled and while there a touch of exhaustion lingering in his eyes, he seemed happier than she’d seen him in weeks. The shit with Furlong must’ve played out in his favor, especially because he was usually bitching about the 3am hour having negative and lingering effects on the state of his skin.  
And lord knows Dan was crazy about his skin routine.

“19, I think.”

She knew full well that Dan knew the number of interviews they were on, they had all been counting down until they could escape to their beds. 

They settled into silence as they both scrolled through their cell phones and leaned comfortably against the wall.

They had sat in the room with Selina for a bit, but after the 15th interview, they began to scatter because sitting for that long and hearing the same shit was boring, especially when it rounded on 2 am.

Amy went to look for some coffee, but all she found was a Natural Valley bar, which she tentatively picked at - worried before the grains touched her mouth what the effects would have on her body.

Most of the floor was quiet and while they weren’t alone, Amy felt like everyone was so tired and withdrawn due to the long night to realize anything was going on around them.

“From the lack of cuffs on your wrists and the maniacal twinkle in your eye, I take it everything went okay with Furlong.” she said quietly not even bothering to look up from her phone.

She was browsing an article about the loss of the party, trying to find something that hadn’t been mentioned yet, but finding that it was the same old stuff.

Journalists could be so repetitive. 

“Yeah. Something like that.”

“Right, until you do something else to fuck up.”

“Ye of little faith.”

Amy smiled slightly down at her phone, refusing to give Dan the satisfaction that he may  
have made her smile.

“You know Gary made me go get that lipstick from Dana? She made this strange remark  
about him...she thinks I see her as the enemy because I couldn’t hold on to him. She is fucking looney tunes.” Amy blurted out suddenly, “she told me I missed my chance at having him. What the actual fuck. Like I’d want fucking Gary as my life partner.” 

She glanced up to find Dan watching her intently with a small smile resting on his lips.

Unsettled, she looked back down at her phone.

“Any woman who thinks that Gary is a prize should be put in a mental institution for life. Straight jacket that shit up. She’s probably plotting Gary’s demise with cheese or whatever the fuck she sells so he never leaves her for Selina. Let’s see how long it’ll last between them. I still say it’s six months. I mean who talks about someone that much and then moves in with them after three months.”

Amy snorted, “people that love each other.”

“Gary will never love anyone as much as he loves Selina, you know that. Try to tell me that’s not fucking true. And no sane person moves in with another after three months.”

“Sometimes, when you know, you know. Maybe Gary actually--”

“Don’t feed me that bullshit. You know, just as well as I do that you would never move in with someone after knowing them for less than 90 days. I know you, Ames, and you’d need to know someone for at least three fucking years before you moved in with them.”

“I hate when you pretend like you know me that well.”

“I do know you that well.” Dan mocked not even bothering to put his phone down.

Amy scowled, but chose not to respond, instead focusing on the screen in front of her. If he wasn’t going to give her to the time of day to look up from his cell, then neither would she.

“You missed Selina throwing that lipstick at Kent.” he said after a beat of silence.

Amy laughed despite herself, “I heard about that. Gary had to clean up the mess she  
made.”

“It’s not like he does anything different. He’ll forever clean up after her.”

“That’s true.” 

A beat later, Amy added, “I can’t believe Dana said that to me.”

Dan shrugged and looked up from his phone for a moment, “she’s dating Gary. I wouldn’t take it too seriously. She’s probably trying to stake her claim or whatever you women do over men.”

“As if you haven’t had women staking their claim over you before.” she snorted.

Dan shot her a ‘fuck off’ look and then smirked suddenly, “if I remember correctly, you staked your claim on me.”

“That was different.” she glanced over his shoulder and down the hall at the intern who was talking in a low voice in the corner on the phone and looking stressed out. When she gazed back up at Dan, she wished she could just punch him to wipe that knowing smirk off his face.

He didn’t know her.

She didn’t get why he pretended to.

“Not really. We were just younger.”

Amy refused to meet his eyes and instead gripped her phone harder in her hand wishing not for the first time that Dan wasn’t able to get under her skin.

But he always knew the right things to say to really make her insides burn in anger.

He didn’t say anything for awhile and neither did she as they both returned to their phones. It felt like hours later - but was only just minutes - when he opened his mouth again to break the silence.

“Do you want to have a drink after this?” he asked without looking up at the screen where his eyes had strayed after the lengthy pause.

She bit her lip and looked at her small wristwatch, it read 3am, and her patience with him was already waning. 

Plus even though he hadn’t brought up their time together, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t take advantage of them being alone in a bar - or really his house since the bars would be closed by the time they were finished with the never-ending interviews. 

It was safer to avoid him and his hidden agenda.

“I think I need to go to sleep when this is over. At least a little while. Then I have to stop at the hospital.”

Dan nodded and they fell into silence once more.

“You can tell me in detail about Selina throwing the lipstick at Kent though. I could do with a laugh after tonight.” 

Dan gave her a shark-like grin and began to regale her with the story of what happened in the Oval Office while she was out getting Selina’s lipstick from Dana. By the time he’d finished, she was in giggles at the impression he did of Gary.

“That guy can get anything out.” he adds after a short pause.

“He once got child vomit out of one of Selina’s dresses. It was fucking impressive.”

Dan grinned and glanced at the door where they could hear Selina announce that she had one more interview to get before she was planning on going to fucking bed .

“You sure you don’t want that drink?”

“It’s more of a coffee hour now.”

“We can get a coffee then.”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

She debated on whether to be honest with him, but since he’s always been frank with her she replies with a, “both.”

Dan shifts against the wall and lets his eyes level on hers as if he’d expected her answer, “when do you think we’ll have to be back in the office?”

“To clean up this shitstorm? Tomorrow, bright and early, if not later today.” Amy said running a hand through her hair.

“Are you going to sleep?” he asked quietly.

She laughed at the idea of sleep, “probably not.”

“You’ll get circles under your eyes.” he stated casually.

“Beauty tips from Dan Egan. Maybe you should quit and become a talk show host on how to make yourself look more like a douchebag.”

“You’d miss me if I left.” he stated with a smirk dancing on his lips.

She shrugged non-committedly and looked at the closed doors where the interviews were being done. “I’d get over it.”

They fell into another round of silence and Amy was satisfied to know that things were falling back into how they were before Ohio.

It wasn’t that it was awkward before, it was just...different.

But now it was like it never happened.

No flirting on Dan’s part and no mention of the Ohio Incident. 

Save for the comment about going a round in the bathroom, but that was just Dan trying to get under her skin.

She tried to pretend that she didn’t care. 

And eventually, she knew she’d forget about Dan’s lips on her, his hands brushing across her skin, and that shit-eating grin that decorated his face as his head ducks in between her legs.


	5. Robust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy's insecurities manifest and Dan tries to be nice. This results in a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few things before we dive into the newest chapter. 
> 
> First, this chapter is from Amy's POV. The last two chapters were too long to put together, so I decided to do it with consecutive chapters from each character's POV. So the next two chapters will be from Dan's POV. 
> 
> Next, the series premier is only in a few days! I'm so excited and nervous to see what they do with the baby storyline and Dan and Amy. I have so many feels about it. Which unfortunately brings me to my next thing, I'm going to be in southeast asia, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to watch the new season until I get back to the US. So this story will stay as in character and canon as possible between seasons 1-6. 
> 
> Lastly, thank you so much to everyone who is reading, liking, and commenting on the story! It's been a joy to write so far and with what I have in mind for the next few chapters, it'll be a lot of fun. Oh! I almost forgot, I changed the rating because some dirty things pop up in this chapter and I'll carry out the rating from here on out. If you're not into the E rating, I understand and hope you continue reading, so just skip over those parts and if you're not okay, then I totally get it. Anyway, enjoy!

“Dan, you look like you’re about to shit yourself. What the fuck is wrong?” Amy asked glancing over at him for the fourth time to find him simultaneously fiddling with his phone and gripping the laptop he had brought, so they could write the statement about Catherine’s Middle Eastern conflict faux pas. 

They were in the car on the way to visit Amy’s dad in the hospital. Well, _visit_ may be too strong of a word. She got them out of having to deal with Furlong by saying they had to _visit_ her dad in the hospital. And now, here they were on their way to deal with her fucking family just to avoid a dick-headed situation. While also having to contend with Catherine’s desire to suddenly have an opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by coming up with the biggest bullshit their already bullshit-laden administration could concoct. 

And let’s not forget the Uzbek Hostage situation. 

It was a shitshow, but it was just a regular week in the Veep’s office for them and it was shaping up to be a rougher than normal one, much to her chagrin.

Between the Midterm results, Catherine and the Five Broken Cameras film, her dad, and Selina, she needed a bit of leeway, but she wasn’t sure if she was going to get it. 

Especially now that Catherine had to go and actually _do something_ , which was very unlike her. 

Even if all it she did was write a review that ended up on some nobody’s blog.

And now she had to subject Dan to Sophie and her parents. And because she had never told him anything differently,

Dan thought her father was really sick and they would be walking into him dying while the family grieved. 

She would almost laugh at the situation if she wasn’t so stressed out.

Maybe that was why he was acting so strangely, since Dan was shit with feelings; regardless, she’d never seen him be so twitchy.

He was also substantially more pale than he generally was, which was saying something since she could see all of his individual freckles poking out on his skin.

“I’m fine. Jesus fuck, you’re the one who is freaking out about your father or whatever being in the hospital.”  
If Amy hadn’t been driving, she would’ve reached over to punch - or perhaps pinch - him.

She would’ve been fine with both. 

She wasn’t freaking out about her father. 

In fact, since the results had come back as almost positive, she hadn’t even brought it up until Furlong - okay, and to get out of the pig roast - came into the office looking to chop off a few heads and eat them for breakfast.  
She wasn’t in the mood to deal with Furlong and his desire to be the biggest dick around.

So she cashed in on a little gem she had been holding onto: Her ‘sick’ father. For the second time that day, because there was no way in hell she was going to go to North Carolina.

Also due to Catherine, she and Dan didn’t have time to deal with him because of that stupid review of that fucking movie. This was just the whip cream on top of the fucking shit sundae of every other little thing that was going wrong.  
Next thing she’d know, Selina would be getting into an accident and needing to be put on bedrest while they needed to be at a fundraiser or do an endorsement or even a late night talk show to make her seem more relatable. 

In short, Amy seemed to be stressed to the maximum. 

It didn’t help that her family had instead of being happy with giving up the Midterms night was now on her ass about visiting more and more because _who knew how long daddy had left_. Something her sister was keen to point out and guilt-trip her with. 

She figured once her father got out of the hospital and went back to work, things would be easier or if not easier, she wouldn’t feel so guilt tripped.

But then again, she also wouldn’t be able to use it as an excuse to escape the political shit-show that was currently the Veep’s office.

So really lying to Furlong and using her father’s hospital visit as a get-out-of-jail-free-card when she didn’t want to deal with something wasn’t as guilt-inducing as she thought.

Honestly, it had been a little fun.

Getting out of the pig roast and avoiding Furlong all in one day was just, well, triumphant. 

And watching Furlong try and puzzle out an apology that sounded semi-sincere was almost as enjoyable as watching Dan look like he was going to duck and roll from her car to avoid having to deal with actual emotions.

However, she knew that the fun would end when they arrived at the hospital and Dan would be in on her little secret just so they could have some time to write the statement to fix Catherine’s mess. 

Unfortunately. 

Although, she was curious to know if he was going to use the fact she lied to throw back in her face.

Maybe he’d just disregard it. 

Like he had when they slept together.

It was just mysteriously and suddenly a non-issue.

He was getting something out of it too after all.

She just wouldn’t think about it until she had too, they still had 20 minutes until they got to the hospital and inviting Dan on this adventure hadn’t been intended. It had just slipped out. At least that’s what she told herself.

“I’m hardly freaking out.” she said casually coming to a gentle stop at a red-light and looking over pointedly.

He shot her a glare and rolled his shoulders as if to point out that he was fine.

She smirked and looked forward trying to hold back a smile at seeing Dan squirm on the way to the hospital.  
It was kinda hilarious and she wasn’t sure why he was acting the way he was, but it was entertaining.

“You realize we’re going into a hospital right. If people see you acting the way you are, they may think you’re going to have a mental breakdown. You may need to take some time off.” 

“Fuck off.” he snapped, but she took note that he wasn’t able to come up with some other comeback.

At that, she couldn’t help the bemused expression that moved across her face. For the rest of the car ride, they settled into silence with it occasionally being broken by Dan’s hand tapping on the window sill, especially as they got closer to the hospital. 

When they pulled into the parking lot, Amy considered telling him to wait in the car, but she wasn’t sure how long she would be.

Due to his weird behavior as they approached the automatic doors, she figured that Dan wasn’t a fan of the sick and dying.

And like watching his freak out over the Macauley Amendment, that made her happy. 

His hatred for hospitals was definitely a sign that he was human, although, if she found out why he hated them, then maybe she’d take her reasoning back. 

She pocketed that question for another time.

As they got into the elevator, she pressed the floor button and waited patiently for the elevator to go to her father’s floor.

“Uh..I just have to say, Amy, I know this--”

“Please stop. I already told you that you don’t have to talk.” she interrupted not wanting to listen to whatever Dan was attempting to say about her father and this situation.

She didn’t want him to pretend to be empathetic and care when she knew that the only person he held in any esteem was himself.

Sometimes she wanted to remind him that she actually knew him and he didn’t have to pretend to not be a dick with her. 

She knew the truth.

“I just don’t really like hospitals.” he muttered and she glanced at him to find him glistening.  
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at how down right frightened he looked at having to be in an area that he deemed so repulsive. 

“You can always go downstairs and get a Starbucks. I already know you think it’s nice and I know the last thing you want to do is be around my family.” she said without turning to look at him.

The elevator dinged and they walked out and toward her father’s room. They didn’t get too far before Dan grabbed her arm to get her to stop walking. She wiggled out of his grip and raised her eyebrows not sure why he suddenly displayed an uncharacteristic look on his features.

But then again, he had been acting very un-Dan-like since he’d asked her what hospital her dad was in as they left the office.

“Hey, you know what? I’m not really great with illness or death or basic empathy, but I just want to say I’m sorry about your dad and I think you’re being really brave.” 

She blinked wanting to feel taken aback by his comment, but knowing better because this was Dan and as he had so nicely pointed out he didn’t do basic empathy and thus, he was good at faking the human spectrum of emotions. 

She would do well to remember that the next time she began to feel something other than cold, disgust and distrust when it came to him. 

Because even remotely thinking of Dan in any positive way would cause her to feel things she shouldn’t be allowed to feel for him.

And dammit if his comment about her being brave didn’t do something odd to her stomach, specifically making her feel a strange pull that left her feeling a bit out of sorts.

She reminded herself quickly that Dan was just going to screw her over in the end if she let him in.

Instead of answering though, she turned away, and continued walking the less than five feet to the door of her dad’s room.

“What? Why are we stopping here?” he asked frowning and looking around in confusion.

She nodded at the room, “that’s my dad.” 

Amy watched as Dan’s entire demeanor changed. It was like someone pumped life back into him as he looked between the room and Amy with a look that went from confusion, to understanding, and then full on adoration.

“Jesus, he doesn’t look like he’s dying.” he marveled.

She avoided looking at him as she began to explain her thinking, “My family was guilt-tripping the shit out of me and so I exaggerated to come visit.” she paused and glanced tentatively over at him before continuing on, “besides a dying dad can be a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

She looked down and away from him not wanting to see the look of complete awe on his face. She’d seen it many times when Dan had won big or found out something that would put them in a good standing, but it was different this time. This time it was directed at her. She’d seen it one other time when they had left the meeting with Senator O’Brien and Jack.

It was the look her nephews got when they got a new video game or when her mom talked about her blender. But instead of being directed at an inanimate object, it was directed at her and it was weird coming from Dan. 

She ignored the weird, sticky warm feeling that made her stomach feel all hot. He was just giving her that look because...well, she didn’t really know, but she knew that Dan didn’t see her in any other way than a brain who could match him political-blow for political-blow. He didn’t see her in the way that...well, he just didn’t see her as anything other than collateral damage and a stepping stone to what he viewed as success.

“Like with Furlong.” she added quietly.

She tried to focus on something that wasn’t him as he gave her that look, but it was impossible since she kept glancing back up as if she was looking for something, although, what she was looking for, she wasn’t entirely sure. She chose not to respond and let him process whatever it was he was considering.

“Wow. That is cold.” he said and she attempted to ignore the way his brown orbs were blazing into her, “also kind of hot.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk into the room, but stopped before she could enter and turned back to speak to him to find him staring at her with the same in awe expression. She tried not to let the gaze burn a blush across her cheeks, but it was damn near impossible when he was scrutinizing her as if he was mentally undressing her. 

He was seriously disturbed.

They were in a hospital.

Sure, she had done a kind of fucked up things, but no less fucked up than what they normally did.

And she was not in the least bit turned on.

“Don’t come with me just stay out here.”

Dan blinked as if coming out a trance and then nodded, “I’ll start writing.”

She nodded and made her way into the hospital room hoping that her parents nor Sophie noticed Dan hovering at the door.

She hoped he went downstairs to the ‘nice’ Starbucks for a coffee and she could get everything over with as quickly and harmlessly as possible before they made their way back to work.

* * *

 

Later, when they were on their way back to the office, Amy tried to avoid talking about anything that didn’t have to do with work. It seemed less likely that the car-ride would turn uncomfortable if she kept the conversation on a subject that they both liked and it wouldn’t turn into something hostile. Her main concern was that Dan would read too much into what her mother had said. 

She didn’t want Dan to ask about her mother’s comments and she definitely didn’t want to say ‘thank you’ to him for getting her out of there as painlessly as possible. 

So she figured the easiest way to get out of thanking him - even if he’d already acknowledged the unspoken words with a simple ‘you’re welcome’ when they were getting ready to leave the hospital - and discussing her mother’s poor choice of words was to just talk about work.

Or in her case ramble about it. 

It was an old habit she’d fall back into when she was feeling particularly off-kilter. 

Instead of letting the conversation lull, she carried on a long monologue about the signals article - which Sue had filled her in on - and how Dana was going to be the reason she ended up in prison. When she ran out of things to say about that, she turned the conversation toward questions Dan would be more than willing to answer because she kept the topics on things he liked i.e. himself and putting other people under blast.

Her main objective was to avoid talking about what had happened at the hospital. 

Specifically her mother’s comments.

Or the talk about babies.

And the questions about them being a couple.

Which is why after 30 minutes of questions and a monologue that was close to babbling, she’d ended up back on Furlong. 

There was honestly only so much she could complain about Dana (she was a non-issue), Gary (who really was as harmless as a baby bird who couldn’t let go of his mother long enough to learn how to be an adult), and Catherine (who she just generally felt badly for). 

“...do you think Sue really bitch-slapped Furlong?” Amy mused as she came to a stop at a light.

She glanced at him and he snorted, “probably, and I’m sure he liked it.”

He shifted in his seat and then typed on the keyboard that rested on his lap.

She couldn’t tell if he was picking up on her desire to avoid the shit at the hospital. If he was, then he was hiding it well. And if he wasn’t, then well, she hoped he didn’t have the audacity to bring it up.

But then again this was Dan and he was bent on making her feel as small and as insignificant as humanly possible.

“You and your sister look nothing alike.” he observed suddenly.

She felt her stomach drop and she tightened her hold on the steering wheel.

Scowling, she said, “don’t even go there. Seriously.”

“Fucking gross, Ames, she’s pregnant.” he said in such a tone of disgust Amy wanted to point out that she was surprised he even cared with his past history.

As far as Amy knew, Dan would fuck anything that would remotely help him get to where he wanted. 

But then again, they were talking about her sister and the only thing fucking her would help Dan do was make Amy feel like complete shit...although, knowing him he’d do it just to spite her and rub it in her face.

She made a mental note to keep them apart forever because she didn’t want to give him the opportunity or the satisfaction to make her feel...well, she didn’t want to go there.

She paused thinking about what exactly that meant and then pushed it to the wayside with no desire to worry about something that would never happen.

Hopefully. 

“Also, she’s not my type.” he added.

Now it was Amy’s turn to snort, “I didn’t even realize you had a type let alone standards.”

He shrugged, “she’s your sister.”

“So?”

Dan didn’t respond and when she looked over at him, he was bent over the keyboard typing some more, so she couldn’t see his face to tell whether he was being serious. 

She didn’t push the issue and instead, chose to focus on the light that had turned green. She made her way steadily through the streets, so they could get back to the office without breaking any speeding laws and expedite the statement/apology that was already past deadline.

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence with it occasionally being punctured by the sound of Dan typing on the laptop and him asking questions about wording. 

She had run out of things to fill the silence of the car, but as long as Dan didn’t mention anything about the hospital, then that was fine. 

As they pulled into the parking lot, she was beginning to think he wasn’t going to mention anything about her family or at least not until he could use it against her. However, she still had to ask him to keep her dad’s health on the down-low. 

Before she could make a request of him to not say anything, he began to re-read the statement and Amy was pulled into work mode by making suggestions for a few word changes before it was ready to be printed.

She made a mental note to ask him later as she watched him press ‘save,’ they had to get back up to the office and send the fucker. Moving to get out of the car, Dan grabbed her arm to stop her.

“We don’t have time for you to worry about whether or not--” Amy began.

“Shut up.” he paused and a hesitant look came across his features and then was smoothed over as his arrogant expression took over.

“What?” she snapped.

“I just...nevermind.” His grip loosened, but his hold didn’t entirely drop.

“What the fuck, Dan, way to waste time. I don’t know if you know this, but we’re on a deadline.” She grabbed the handle to get out of the car, but his hand was still on her arm and she pointedly looked at it. “Dan--”

“I know, I just...uh…” he cleared his throat and Amy almost ripped her arm from his hold, so they could get going as he stuttered over whatever he was attempting to say.

Half of her was nervous that he was going to bring up her mother’s comments about him breaking her heart - he really hadn’t - or make a joke about how no one would want to have a baby with her because of how terrible of a parent she’d make. These were things she had been waiting for the entire drive, but of course, when she was beginning to feel like she’d slide by unscathed, he would attack with some spitefilled words.

That was just Dan and she always had trouble remembering it, especially when he did something nice, like get her out of being with her family by saying she was needed at the office when they both knew she wasn’t.

“Dan, spit it out. I know you like to make me suffer, but we don’t have time for this. If this is about me owing you or whatever so I could get away from my family, then fine, whatever, I’ll buy you a drink the next time you stalk me to the bar. Now, can we go?”

“That wasn’t...wait, I don’t stalk you to the bar. If anything, you’re the one that nags--”

“Whatever, I’ll owe you one. I’ll owe you two if you don’t tell anyone about today. I mean, I’d appreciate it if you kept the details of my father’s health to yourself. Although, I know how hard that might be for you since you lack any feelings due to your sociopathic tendencies.” she added deciding she might as well mention her father’s health and not saying anything since he was already holding them up.

Which was another very un-Dan-like thing to happen today. 

He was usually the one who matched her step-for-step as they hurried to whatever junction or office they needed to be at. 

This was the third odd thing he’d done in one day and she was beginning to feel weird about it. She just needed him to be consistent because that made her feel ready for whatever shitty thing he was bound to do. 

She decided as he struggled to say whatever he was attempting to get across to her that she liked when Dan wasn’t acting like a stuttering, too-pale, too-nice weirdo. 

It made her feel unstable and like...like he wasn’t the bad guy she had to keep ahold of in her mind, so she didn’t end up with any feelings or something toward him. 

Sometimes, though, she thought it was easier to think he was worse than he truly was just so she could avoid feeling anything positive toward him.

He frowned and then his expression darkened, “I’m trying to fucking say something and you keep...fuck, you can be so…”

She felt her eyes narrow as he struggled to find the words that would describe her. “What? Shrill? Annoying? Horrid? I’ve heard it all before from you, so let’s just pretend this afternoon never happened and get back to the office to fix this shitstorm.”

Instead of his grip loosening though, it tightened and she saw anger flash in his eyes.

“Dan--

“Do you want to forget about it, Ames, just like Ohio?”

She clenched her teeth and glared at him, “Ohio was just...an incident, an accident.”

“Yeah, you just fucking fell on my dick, huh?”

“Fuck you.” 

“I think we already did that, but if you want another go, maybe I’ll do you the honors. Your place or mine? Although, I hope this time I don’t break your heart.” he snarled.

She stared at him feeling a tightening sensation in her stomach and somehow she knew this was what she was waiting for. When she thought he was being someone decent he...he went and said…fuck, she hated him.

“My mother doesn’t know what she’s talking about and even if she did, you never came close to breaking anything expect my fucking patience. What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this right now when we have so much other shit going on?”

“I’m not doing anything. You’re the one who keeps putting words in my mouth when I’m trying to speak while making shitty low-grade digs.” 

“Fine, what profound bullshit do you want to feed me?”

The car fell into silence as they both glared at each other. Before either of them could say anything though, both of their phone’s began to ring and simultaneously they picked up. Without looking at each other, they began to speak into their respective phones and get out of the car to head toward the building.

When they both hung up, Amy turned to Dan with a stiff expression. “Do you want to put together a statement about the signals or should I tell Mike to?”

“Mike can do it. I have some place to be.” he said shortly.

She opened her mouth, but shut it quickly because she wasn’t sure what she really wanted to say to him. 

She heard herself begin to speak before she could stop herself, “yeah, well I hope whatever 20 year old piece of ass is sitting waiting for you is smart enough to make you wear a condom before she fucks you.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why do you automatically think I’m going to screw some intern when I say I have some place to be?”

“Because I know you, Dan. And I know all you do is pretend to be halfway decent at your job and fuck women who can give you some leverage - oh yeah, and stare at yourself in the mirror.”

Dan’s eyes narrowed and his lips drew into a taut line of anger; she knew somehow she had gone over the line and she felt a spasm of shame go through her.

What she had said wasn’t entirely true. Dan was good at his job, too good if she was honest. But knocking him down a few pegs kept his ego from inflating so much he’d drift away.

They had spent a nice afternoon together, he had actually been decent, and then she had ruined it all by lashing out because of her mother and sister’s comments about them.

The baby shit didn’t help.

For the first time, she felt like she was in the wrong when it came to him and she didn’t like feeling like that. Generally, he was the one who was being a shit head, but it seemed to be her this time because of her own weird insecurities. 

Dan continued to glare at her, “fuck you, Amy. I went to the hospital with you and sat with your annoying as fuck family instead of writing this statement, then I got you out of being there. I don’t know what’s going through your head, but I don’t generally do that for a woman, let alone one I’ve fucked, so get off whatever shit you’re on and stop assuming I’m the end all be all of evil re-incarnated.”

He moved to walk away, but this time Amy grabbed his arm.

“Wait.” she said and when he turned around, she tried to look him in the eye but failed miserably and instead focused on his mouth, which was a mistake.

“What?” he snapped, “What other shit do you want to throw at me?”

She suddenly deflated, the tip of an apology on her tongue. “Nevermind.”

He rolled his eyes, “typical, Ames, always wasting my time.”

She scowled and dropped her hand from his arm, “Typical, Dan, always a piece of shit.”

He gave her a dark smirk and made a kissy face at her as he began to walk backwards and away from her. “Try not to become more frigid on your way to the office, pumpkin.”

Her scowl deepened and she berated herself for ever thinking that he would change and at least be a decent human being.

* * *

 

Since their heated argument in the parking lot, Amy had gone out of her way to not talk to Dan. It wasn’t like after they had fucked, she wasn’t avoiding him, she was just retroactively choosing not to speak to him. In retrospect, it was probably because she felt a little embarrassed about her behavior, but also she felt curious about what Dan had never had the chance to say. 

And she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of asking what he had been struggling to get across to her after the hospital.

She’d rather just not know, at least that’s what she kept telling herself. 

Also, per usual she was busy with everything in the office. She didn’t have time to deal with him when she had work and everything at the forefront of her mind; between the hostage situation, Kent Davidson’s reappearance, and Gary coming into her office to bitch about how Dan was trying to steal his job again, she was in over her head with shit.

And he was busy with everyone else.

So she could care less.

It wasn’t like she didn’t notice him trying to get in good with Kent or how he was edging his way in between the weird Gary-Selina dynamic.

She already knew how both of those situations would end anyway.

Kent didn’t like anyone.

Selina would lose her mind without Gary.

It only figured that it would all blow up in his face, anyhow, when he wrote the speech for Selina for the marine base and used robust.

Amy couldn’t get over that one. 

After all, watching Dan fail was almost as good as eating one of her favorite almond croissants.

Anyway, she didn’t give a shit that there wasn’t anyone to glance over at in meetings and share a look of disdain with.

She kept her eyes solely on Selina or her phone. Her eyes definitely didn’t stray to Dan. And she assured herself that she enjoyed not having to compete with him for anything, especially because she didn’t have to deal with that swoop in her stomach when they’d begin to go against one another. 

But her short-lived humor ended almost as quickly as it surfaced - something that seemed to be happening a lot more lately.

It was the night of the Vic Allen Dinner and Selina requested that her and Dan work late to figure out how to do damage control for the hostage situation and thus, the marine’s missing leg before she was put under the radar by all of the big-wigs.

Mike was supposed to be there as well helping to spice up the song he and Dan wrote, but as far as Amy knew, he was catching up on some sleep in the back of the office before they were needed at the dinner. 

Something Amy was only too irritated about since she had barely gotten five hours of sleep in the last few days and she was subjected to being alone with Dan for the first time since the argument after the hospital.

She knew the only reason they were in the office while everyone else was getting ready was because Selina knew that

Amy and Dan were used to managing damage control and she was too busy needing to be zipped into a dress by Gary.

And Mike being there was just a way for Selina to make him suffer.

So Amy, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, agreed to work late with Dan to come up with some solution for damage control about the image of Selina that emerged of her ‘tweeting while a guy loses his leg.’

And Mike agreed because he knew that he could sleep undisturbed in the back of the office while she and Dan grumbled at each other.

If it was up to Amy, she would’ve been at home getting ready for the dinner while drinking a few glasses of wine and not in the least bit thinking about Dan.

But instead, here she was working with him and ignoring the fact that Mike was supposed to be there tweaking the song, but was in all actuality, nowhere to be found.

Anyhow, it was easier not to have to deal with him, but he would’ve been a good buffer with Dan.

In short, the whole thing was stupid and she didn’t know why they were there.

It wasn’t even their fault that the wrong picture was chosen because Hughes looked better in one rather than another.

Fucking jowls. 

Or that Kent was punishing Selina and making her change the song and thus making Dan and Mike suffer by writing a whole new one to the tune of that stupid Paul Simon song.

Why should they be punished?

Well, her and Dan, Mike could give a shit.

He was too focused on his current financial situation.

“How’s it going over there?” Dan asked bringing Amy out of her musings.

“Hm? Oh, fine, I guess.” she said glancing up from her computer to find him tapping on the iPad in front of him.

She was sitting at her desk and he was sitting on the other side of it with his feet up, rocking back and forth on the heels of the chair. She’d asked him many, many times to not put his feet on her desk, but he just ignored her and continued doing it.

Smirking all the while.

Amy took a moment to imagine what would happen if he fell and she let a smirk curl across her lips.

“Have you even been doing anything?” he asked moving his body so all four of the legs were on the floor.

She sighed heavily, “I don’t even get why we’re here. I should be at home getting ready for the Vic Allen Dinner. Not babysitting--”

“Relax, Ames, it’s not like you’re solving childhood cancer. And how is this different than any other event? Besides, you’re not the one who had to write two fucking bullshit songs for this dinner in one day and let Mike take some of the credit when he’s not even helping.” Dan grumbled begrudgingly.

Amy’s smirk widened and she pushed away from the desk to walk around, so she could lean in front of it. She took satisfaction in the fact that he was lamenting about having to do all of the work and only getting some of the credit. She crossed her arms in front of her and looked down at him.

“Feels pretty shitty, huh?”

He glared up at her and threw the iPad on the desk, “I spent all last night with Mike sleeping while I wrote the whole thing, then had the song thrown back in my face because of Kent.”

“Poor you.” she said pouting at him.

His glare turned to amusement as he leaned back in the chair and tipped back onto the back legs. She watched as his arms went to the back of his head and she was tempted to push him just a touch back, so her vision of him falling on his ass could become a reality.

Instead, she squared her shoulders and regarded him through cool blue eyes, “I’d like for once not to have to work all night long and then go to some event where we don’t have to deal with Selina freaking out or Gary worrying about some minuscule detail or even Mike just being...well, Mike. So if I have to deal with that, then you have to--”

Dan chuckled darkly, “you’re describing working for a different person.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and opened her mouth to respond with a simple, “no, I’m not.”

“Yes, Ames, you are. If you don’t want to be stuck under Selina’s bullshit covered thumb or deal with Mike pretending to be a working member of the team, or even fucking Gary not freaking out about another fucking blouse or lipstick shade, then find someone who would appreciate you.” he held her gaze for a long moment, then grabbed the iPad up from the desk. He looked down at the device and she watched as he began to scroll, probably through his email.

She hesitated before breaking the silence, “do you think about quitting?”

He didn’t even bother looking up, “I didn’t sign up for writing stupid songs with Cow Eyes or having to share credit with anyone. I don’t mind sharing credit--”

She snorted loudly at that, which earned her a glare from him.

“But it has to be with someone that holds a candle to me.” he said letting his eyes rest on her.

She looked away not liking the heated look he was giving her. “Last time I checked there was - thankfully - only one of you.” she paused and added, “No one can hold a candle to you except you, Dan. That’s what narcissism is.”

He raised an eyebrow and let the iPad rest against his stomach as he regarded her, “I’d share the credit with _you_. I have shared the credit with you, if you recall.”

She bit her lip and glanced down at the ugly carpeting that she knew better than her own Ikea-bought rugs at home.

Against her better judgement, she gulped as she thought back to all of the times they had shared credit on projects.

But then she reminded herself that she knew better than to listen to the words coming from his mouth when his actions said so much more.

“I don’t mind sharing the credit with you because you’re on my level.” he said quietly and she knew if she looked up, then his gaze would be burning into her, so she refused to meet his eyes because she didn’t want that warmth to spread through her when he gave her that look.

She knew she’d be toying with something dark if she did.

Instead, she cleared her throat, tightened her arms across her chest, and told herself that he was just messing with her.

“If you’re not happy, then quit.” she said finally.

“I didn’t say I was unhappy.”

“You sound unhappy. You’re not taking credit for something you did.”

“That’s just the name of the game. Even though Mike is a fuck up, I like him enough. He’ll make a huge mistake eventually and I’ll swoop in and grab his job.” Dan said with a shrug.

She stared at him, “you’d bid your time for that long?”

“Mike is at the end of his career, he doesn’t have much longer to go. But I also have other shit in the works, can you say the same?” he asked pointedly.

“I’m just…” she trailed off with a heavy sigh.

“You can say bored, I promise I won’t tell Selina.” 

“Are you bored?” she countered.

He laughed harshly, “fuck yeah. How are you not? I just spent a whole day with Mike putting together some stupid song that I’m not even getting credit for and then listening to the Veep bitch about how they picked the wrong picture.

This was after writing a speech that should’ve put us on the map if it wasn’t for Sue. I should’ve gotten some recognition for that, but everything I do on this team ends up getting fucked one way or another. This isn’t what I signed up for.”

“Oh?”

“Is it what you signed up for? Is this what you expected when you went into politics?”

That gave her pause and instead of answering, she focused on the legs of the chair, which were all back on the ground. Then she slowly looked back at Dan who was watching her carefully.

“Is it?” he pressed.

“No.” 

He gave her a half-shrug and then a smirk, “if you’re bored...we could leave you know. I told you I have some shit in the works.”

Amy frowned and moved a bit closer to him. It was a subtle action, but she could tell that he noticed it when his gaze flicked over her for a split second. She hadn’t meant to move closer to him, but there was just something about discussing leaving their job together when they were still at work that made her feel secretive and naughty. Even if it was just the two of them with Mike in the office across the hall.

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked quietly, “aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Selina?”

He laughed and sat fully up to lean a bit closer to her.

She tried to ignore the fact that if he scooted the chair a few inches in and moved his arms on either side of her, he’d be boxing her in.

“Because I trust you not to say anything.”

She stared at him not knowing how to respond. “Really?” she tried to hold back her tone of surprise, but she knew it leaked into the question.

He gave her a simple nod and then stood up without warning. She scowled as he towered over her, “be honest, you hate working late, even if you have nothing to go back to in that shitty apartment you rent.”

She glowered at him and opened her mouth to tell him to go fuck himself, but instead, he leaned in so close for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. Alternatively, he bent slightly so his lips grazed her ear and he whispered, “You can say it. I won’t tell.”

She jerked her head back and met his gaze head on to prove that she wasn’t in the slightest uncomfortable with his close proximity, “fine. Sometimes I think she just makes me work late because she can.”

“And she drags me in, too?”

“Maybe she’s punishing me.”

“And you think I’m egotistical.”

“You are.”

“Don’t pretend like you aren’t.”

They stared at each other for a long moment before Dan leaned a fraction of an inch closer to her lips. He was so close she could feel his breath graze her mouth, but somehow she knew he wasn’t going to close the distance.

At least she didn’t think he would.

“Ames, be honest. You think about leaving.”

She bit her lip and watched as his eyes moved downward to watch the action.

“Come on, you can’t tell me you like listening to an adult woman whine about wrong pictures or freak out about words such as robust. You want to be known for something meaningful and great.”

“Is that why you’re cozying up to Kent?”

“I’m leaving my options open, as should you.”

Amy shifted between him and the desk, trying to ignore how her leg accidentally rubbed against the inside of his pant leg, which prompted a flash of desire to cross Dan’s face.

“Why do you care anyway? Last we talked, you were angry at me.” she murmured.

Suddenly, he pushed off the desk and moved away with a look of annoyance crossing his features, “Because you were getting on my ass when I’d been nothing but nice to you.”

“You’re never nice.”

“I was nice to you.”

“Wow, you sure make a girl feel special.”

Dan laughed and began to walk around the room and toward the other side of her desk, “Sometimes I think you like fighting with me just to get your panties in a twist because it’s the only action you’re getting.”

She let out a frustrated sounded and crossed back to the other side of the desk toward him, “Believe me, if I could wish you out of my life, I would, but I can’t, and unfortunately, we’re stuck with each other. At least until you find another job with Danny Chung or Kent or something.”

Dan smirked and moved to sit in her chair, knowing that she hated when he was behind her desk, “I think you like being stuck with me. It’s the only entertainment you get when we’re surrounded by so much stupidity.”  
She scowled at him and rolled her eyes to give herself time to think of a witty comeback when he was distracting her so easily by the way he was looking at her in such an infuriating manner. 

“Don’t make me laugh.” she said a little too weakly than she was comfortable with. “Just..gah, get out of my seat, Dan.” she added because she couldn’t think of a zinger that would anger him in the way she was feeling frustrated. 

“Make me.” he dared giving her such a simpering expression that before she could think about what she was doing, she moved forward to grab his arm and yank him from her seat - not that it would do much since he was so much bigger than her - but her heel got caught in the legs of the chair and she landed with a soft _umph_ in his lap.

They were both so startled by Amy falling forward and onto Dan that he had reached out to steady her and his arms wrapped around her waist, so he was hugging her body to his. They both stared at each other for a moment and then as if being pulled together by some magnetic force, they moved toward one another. Their lips melded together with a heat they usually reserved for fighting with each other.

Later, Amy would claim that Dan was the one who had kissed her first.

And Dan would say that Amy had fallen on him on purpose.

But in that moment, neither of them really gave a shit.

The kiss was just as heated as their previous ones, but there was a possessiveness that took over both of them as they began to claim the other one with their lips. 

Amy pressed her body closer to his and resisted the little moan she wanted to let out when Dan’s fingers pressed into her sides. 

A subconscious thought about how he was going to leave bruises entered her brain, but she quieted it and dug her hands through his hair to mess up the perfected gelled look she knew he took at least 20 minutes to get right in the morning. 

To get a bit more comfortable, Amy moved to straddle his lap and rest her knees on either side of his thighs. Her skirt rode up and she could feel him rapidly hardening through the thin wool of his suit pants. 

In response, his hands moved to begin to push her blouse from where it was neatly tucked into her skirt and as his warm hands made contact with her bare flesh, she seemed to come to her senses as if she had been burned.

“Wait.” she said pulling back.

Dan let out a groan and sat back in her office chair, “what?”

“We shouldn’t - Mike.” she struggled to articulate.

“He’s sleeping.” Dan said shortly and then he grabbed the nap of her neck to pull her mouth back toward his. 

This time she couldn’t hold back the moan and Dan responded by moving his hands from her waist toward her ass to give it a healthy squeeze before yanking her skirt higher and turning it into a belt, so her lacy underwear was exposed to him.

She felt his fingers tease the edge of her underwear, but then he pulled back suddenly and his brown orbs moved to hers. They held each other’s gaze for several minutes before they came together again and Amy moved her lips back to his in a bruising kiss. 

She bit his lower lip and tugged it into his mouth to suck on as her hands began to undo the many buttons on his shirt. Something in her brain had taken over and she craved to feel his skin against hers.

Through the haze of desire, she could feel his hands cup her breasts and kneed the flesh hard enough for her to let out a sound that she didn’t even recognize. Racking one hand through his hair and placing the other on his cheek to hold him closer to her, she felt the bulge in his pants press up against the thin silk of her underwear. As she grinded against his still clothed length, she felt pride course through her when she heard him make an odd sound.

She did the motion again and in retaliation, Dan moved one hand to her soaking wet center. Without any hesitation, he pushed aside the thin material separating them and slid two of his fingers into her, curling them just so to begin to build her desire.

Clutching his shoulder for support, she began to move against his hand to create more friction. She closed her eyes to allow herself to get lost in the sensation he was stirring within her. She was so lost in the moment, she didn’t realize that Dan had removed her underwear and she was rubbing herself harder against his hand. Struggling through the haze of her own desire, she came to her senses and placed her hand on the zipper of his pants to bring ‘King Danny’ out to play. 

She stroked him firmly, then moved to the head of his shaft to caress the soft tissue there, and watched as he grew in her palm. Glancing up to find him staring at her, his pupils blown wide, she leaned forward and planting a hard kiss on his lips before moving to the area on his neck - she had discovered the last time they were together - made him shiver.

Grinning against his skin as she felt his length slicken with excitement, Amy moved her lips back up toward his mouth, nipping and kissing as she went. 

“Condom.” Amy gasped.

He stiffened beneath her, “wallet.”

She pulled away from him, went to the suit jacket hanging on the back of the chair, and then rustled through the pockets before finding his wallet with - unsurprisingly - a condom staring at her.

She shot an exasperated look at him, closed her office door swiftly, and then tossed the small foil wrapper at him.

Grinning, he said, “as if you’re not happy that I was prepared.”

“Please don’t talk.” she said moving one of her knees to rest where it had previously been against his thigh. 

He laughed softly as he finished putting on the condom before grabbing her hips and pulling her right back to where she had been.

She let out a noise of surprise before Dan cut her off with his lips.

Sliding down on him as quickly and carefully as she could, they both let out a sigh of relief as they connected. Soon, the only sounds that could be heard in the office was the squeaking of the chair and their labored breathing.

Nipping, kissing, and tugging at one another, the duo ardently came together before they could be interrupted, each trying to make the other one climax first.

* * *

 

When Amy began to feel her legs again, she carefully crawled off of him, grabbed her underwear from the floor, and then pulled her skirt down, so it resembled the clothing item it was meant to. She avoided meeting his gaze and listened to the soft rustling of both of them getting dressed each lost in their bubble of satisfaction.

As Amy finished straightening her top and Dan had tightened the knot in his tie, Mike made his way sleepily into the office. He was rubbing his eyes tiredly and let out a large, loud yawn. 

“Did I miss anything?” he asked running a hand through his hair and looking sheepish.

Dan and Amy shared a look and then shook their heads saying ‘no’ in unison.

Then they quickly changed, so they could head to the Vic Allen Dinner.


	6. Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan discovers something about Amy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard. Not gonna lie. I think it had something to do with the 5 stages of grief I'm going through with Amy and Dan...or Dan's shitty behavior...or the sad ending to BabyBrookheimer. Whatever the case may be, Dan's voice wasn't doing it for me, which is why this chapter was hard. Regardless, even though I went through a writing dilemma, I've decided that now more than ever fanfic is needed, so I'll do what I've done for 90 percent of my other ships - ignore the seasons that made them sink. Anywho, I hope you guys like the next chapter! Please let me know what you think! This is the first Dan's POV chapter, the second will be coming soon.

The Vic Allen Dinner was just as boring as Dan had thought it would be. Although, he was getting in prime time networking, he would’ve liked to spend his night doing something else...or someone else specifically.

He watched as Amy gobbled down the cake in front of her and then dragged another plate toward her without barely concealed delight. He heard her ask if Gary was going to eat it and proceeded to move the plate closer to her when she got a negative response. 

He smirked knowing that the reason Amy was so hungry had to do with him and what they had done in her office earlier. 

And what a fuck-fest it had been. 

Fuck, he couldn’t believe that he’d gotten to fuck her in the EEOB _and_ on her office chair.

It was like every jizz-worthy daydream he had, had about fucking her had come true.

True, he liked the one where he took her from behind on POTUS’s desk the best, but good things came to those who wait. 

He’d rank their hook up as a solid 9.

A point was deducted for the shortness of the moment, but at least he could rub it in Amy’s face that he got her to cum as hard as she had and before he did.

He bet no other guy had coerced her to have sex at work.

He bet no other guy had made her feel that sated afterward.

And he bet no other guy had made her cum in her desk chair in the EEOB office.

Dan counted that as a win in his book. 

Even though they had been quiet, it was difficult to miss the expression on her face as she was pushed over the edge.

Eyes closed, lips caught between her teeth, and her hands clutching his shoulders hard enough to leave tiny crescent moon-shaped marks in his blades even through his shirt; it was a picture he wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Plus, there was the after shocks of her orgasm that sent him over the edge into his own.

He’d outlasted her and he’d made her cum as hard as she had, he figured he’d be getting off on that one for at least a few days, if not a week or two. 

At least until the next time he convinced her that it was in her best interest to just give into her desires.

He’d always known she wanted him, especially after they started working together again, but he hadn’t realized how much until they’d hooked up these last two times.

She always kept everything so tightly bottled up that it could be difficult to tell with her sometimes.

He smirked to himself as he replayed the sequence of emotions across Amy’s face.

Pure desire to pleasure and then annoyance, probably at the fact he managed to hold out from his orgasam until after she had finished hers.

The best part of their little rendezvous was since it has happened a few times, he figured he could probably convince her into making it a thing. 

Maybe in Selina’s office…He figured if they couldn’t do POTUS’s... _yet_...

His eyes landed on Amy’s lips as he thought of bending her over the Veep’s wooden desk. 

He hadn’t thought he’d be able to persuade her to sleep with him again - or ever after they had finished their whatever it had been - but it turned out that all he had to do was needle her a little bit and she’d give in to him. 

He tucked that piece of information into the back of his mind to bring out to play at a later date.

Right beside Amy’s pleasure-filled face. 

Since they’d left the safety of her office, though, Amy had barely glanced at him, but that was to be expected. 

She always seemed to bottle herself up and away from him when she let loose even the tiniest bit. When she gave him a little, she’d take a few steps back to close herself back up. 

As if she wasn’t sure what she was doing was for the best.

But he didn’t understand how that could be when they made such a good team.

Sure, they both had their own issues, but it wasn’t like they were going to get married and have the 2.5 kids or whatever. 

It wasn’t like he liked her or anything.

He just liked to fuck her. 

And talk to her about political strategy.

Also, it was refreshing to be around a woman who didn’t get upset with him everytime he preferred to be on his phone - checking Twitter or his email - because she was on her phone more than he was. 

Plus, she didn’t care if he saw other women. 

At least after realizing who he was.

Or maybe he liked this weird thing they had developed between them because he was never able to really fuck her as much as he had wanted to when they went out. 

Besides, they were two consenting adults who worked closely together and liked to fuck each other’s brains out. 

That was it.

Or at least he liked to fuck Amy’s brain’s out (sometimes, he thought fucking Amy’s brain would be just as good, though, he was, unfortunately, impressed by how smart she was) he didn’t know where she stood.

But that didn’t mean he didn’t wanted to soak in the fact Amy gave in to him - finally. Although, he’d never understand why she would go so far out of her way to pretend it never happened.

When he wanted to do it again - because fuck, it felt good - she did everything she could to deny that she had a good time.

Including telling him some ridiculous bullshit about her not even coming, when he fucking knew she had.

Now, he had the proof to rub in her face. 

And this time he wasn’t going to keep it to himself. 

Although knowing Amy as well as he did, he wouldn’t be surprised if she stopped talking to him all together for a few days because that’s just how she got. He didn’t get it because after having Amy, he just wanted her even more. 

And she just seemed like she wanted to hide from him. 

However, he figured he’d gain her attention at some point through the night and besides they had to focus on Selina and what was going on at the dinner. It wasn’t like she had time to avoid him and dismiss him or even pretend he didn’t exist.

Anyway, it wasn’t like she could get that far away from him. They worked together. She had to take his calls. She had to see him everyday. She had to actually deal with him because for now, neither of them were going anywhere. And if it was up to Dan, anywhere he ended up going, she would come too. Eventually, he’d wear her down.

Eventually, he’d get her to see what they could do together.

“Amy, you should stop eating so much.” Sue’s voice broke through his thoughts and he focused back on what was going on at the table. 

He observed Amy pause mid-scoop of cake and look distinctly uncomfortable. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You’re stress eating.” Sue said.

Dan was close to opening him mouth to tell Sue that actually she was the least stressed out she’d been in weeks, thanks to him, but he stopped himself as the Veep’s secretary began to rattle off things Amy didn’t do and how she was worried about her. 

He didn’t understand why, though, Amy seemed fine to him.

Smirking as Amy made a cat joke, he felt the humor arrive at the table - finally, because tonight had been so dull - but then seriousness intruded its way back.

“You need to date, Amy.” Sue declared and Dan felt an uncomfortable sinking in his stomach at the prospect of Amy dating. 

He pushed it away before he could look too seriously into it. The uncomfortable sinking feeling was probably due to the subpar food that was being served at the event.

(Honestly, who served a hummus platter as an hors devours? Everyone knows that shit is fucking messy.) 

More importantly, he wanted Sue to shut the fuck up. He didn’t want or need her to put ideas into Amy’s head about dating. Amy didn’t need to date. 

Dan didn’t want to fucking date that was for sure, but he also didn’t want Amy to date anyone who wasn’t him.   
For obvious reasons, of course. 

First, that would totally derail his plans of seducing her when it pleased him. He didn’t want her to have to cancel plans on him because of some pompous pasty-faced political pansy-ass who could never keep up with Amy. 

But also her eyes would be taken off her goals - and possibly the opportunity of leaving Selina - if she became one of those giggling girls who just focused on who was giving them flowers or chocolates or whatever the fuck that week. 

Third, and in his opinion the most vital, was that she’d have less time to pay attention to what they needed to do together - for Selina, of course.

They had Helsinki coming up - this was just an example, he doubted Amy had the time to get a date in less than a week. What if she began dating some dentist - himself excluded, he bet that Amy’s taste in guys was bland because she was too busy to find an interesting guy - and started spending all of the time she should be spending with him strategizing and instead, she was focused on dating some dental-dam degenerate? How would they have time to prepare for Helsinki if she was too busy learning about capping teeth and root canals over a few mediocrity planned and boringly predictable dinners? Where would that leave him? 

It wasn’t like he needed her or anything, but bouncing ideas off of her was a way for them to really lipo the fucking fat from the obese pool of great ideas they both brought to the table. 

“Find yourself a political nerd who also showers. I'm just saying I'm looking out for you. I wouldn't want you to become a fat, neurotic freak. Speaking as a friend.” Sue finished.

Dan cleared his throat and directed his attention up to the stage because the look on Amy’s face wasn’t one he wanted to focus on. 

She looked a little unsettled and a bit frazzled.

He saw the wheels turning in her head and then she gave a muffled excuse about needing to make sure Selina’s speech was ready; however, he could obviously see through her actions. He was probably the only one who noticed her stiffen up and rush off toward where he figured the bathrooms were located to give herself a second. 

He considered following her, but he figured she would be right back anyway. It wasn’t like she was going to go far.

After all, Selina was the next one on stage and he wanted to see his song finally play out. He just hoped that Amy was back before Selina went on so she could see his genius at work.

* * *

 

Amy didn’t come back, at least not until Selina’s song had finished. By that point, he decided to go find her because while he knew she wasn’t crying or some shit, he didn’t get why she had holed herself in the bathroom, especially after what Sue said. 

He also felt a little compelled to make a joke about earlier and how she had burned off enough calories to eat a few slices of cake if she wanted to. He had worked her hard in her chair after all. 

“Ames?” Dan asked knocking on the ladies’ bathroom door, which made him feel a bit creepy, but he wasn’t going to look into that too much.

He moved to open the door, but found it was locked and he wondered if Amy was really that upset about some stupid comments Sue made.

Amy didn’t care about shit like that. 

He was just about to turn around and go back to the table to prepare to Spanish Inquisition her ass when he heard the sounds of someone getting sick. Crinkling his nose, he knew for sure that Amy wasn’t in there because she had been completely fine all day and there was no way that she could have the flu. 

At least she better not because he didn’t have time to get sick. 

He turned to walk away and began to text Amy to see where she had gone to when he ran into Mr. Speaker and he couldn’t lose out on a time to schmooze. Even though the guy lacked any social skills whatsoever. 

“Mr. Speaker.” Dan allowing a charismatic smile to spread to his lips and reached a hand out to shake the older man’s.

He responded with a smile and slapped a hand on Dan’s shoulder to avoid the handshake, “excuse me, I need to go to the little boy’s room.” 

Dan opened his mouth, but just then the bathroom door opened and Amy was finally revealed. He stared at her and then at the House Speaker who pushed himself past awkwardly in the narrow hallway to make it to the bathroom. 

The wheels in Dan’s head began to spin as Amy glanced at him and then tried to maneuver her body down the hallway as far away from him as she could manage. He continued to gaze at her and once she had gotten within arm’s length of him, he grabbed her, pulled her around the corner, and into the coat closet.

“Where have you been?” he asked watching as she rubbed a hand across her face and popped the piece of gum that was in her mouth.

“What are you my fucking watchdog?” she asked shaking him off her.

He frowned, “It’s just...you missed Selina’s song.”

“Fucking crisis.” she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms around her stomach.

He stared at her for a long moment and he bit his tongue to ask what he so desperately didn’t know whether or not he wanted to confirm.

“So--”

“We should get back.” she cut off.

He nodded slowly, “probably, but--”

“I’ll see you later, Dan.” she said and then moved quickly out from his space and headed back toward her seat at the Vic Allen Dinner.

He watched her for a moment before heading after her and back to the table, but he couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling at knowing that Amy had been in there throwing up. Maybe he was just imagining it or maybe it was a misunderstanding. Regardless, it didn’t take a genius to know what Amy was getting up to in the bathroom.

* * *

 

What he did decide to do the next day at work was send her an article on bulimia. It wasn’t like he had went searching for it or anything, but he found it by accident when he was reading an article in the New York Times that was definitely work related. 

No connection whatsoever to bulimia, but you know how the internet works these days. They are always trying to make you click on something and that something just happened to be an advertisement of an eating disorder clinic. 

He didn’t necessarily want her to go away to a clinic - how would he annoy her all day long - but the other articles he found that branched off the advertisement seemed like something she should know about. 

Things like side effects and the health issues that were coupled with bulimia seemed a little important. So he opened an email and sent her three articles with a subject line

that read: Food For Thought.

Closing his browser, he went back to looking for articles about the Vic Allen Dinner and pushed it out of his head.

Although, he couldn’t help the smug feeling that settled in his chest at knowing how he had shown her that he cared enough about her wellbeing to send her those articles.

After all, if she died from dehydration or intestinal problems, who would he have to bounce ideas off of for strategizing, so he could look his best or bitch to when he was having a shitty day?

* * *

 

Since they were gearing up for Helsinki, Selina asked the team to work late. 

No surprise there. 

Although after Kent came to steal Mike away, that only really meant Amy and him. After the whole attempt to wine-and-dine with Gary and Dana and then the bad traction that manifested from the Kent-Song, she needed to relax before going to Helsinki. Or at least that’s what she told them. 

Mostly, Dan figured that was her way of telling them she was going to go home, drink wine, and complain to Gary as they cleaned up her mess and the bagman helped her plan outfits for Finland. 

Dan didn’t necessarily mind working late when it meant working with Amy though. 

He had realized pretty early on that the best time to get work done was without anyone else getting in the way in the office and having the opportunity to brainstorm with Amy. During the day, they were generally too busy putting out fires to really dig into a good strategy or to plan the next political takeover. 

“I just need you guys to make sure that Helsinki is as good as can be. No surprises. I’m tired of this European bullshit already and we have yet to actually leave America.”

Selina threatened as she got on her coat with Gary’s help and set off for the night.

Amy followed her out of the office asking a few last minute questions and Dan gathered his iPads up and laptop to head toward Amy’s desk because it just made more sense if they were in there. 

He thought that’s where they did the best brainstorming.

And maybe he was curious to see how she’d react by going back to the scene of the crime. Would she give in like last time?

It wasn’t like they could fix the Kent-Song debacle before they left tomorrow for Helsinki.

But they could take advantage of the time they had alone.

He figured they could get some dinner afterward or if it took too long, they could order it here. Maybe get some drinks. It would also be a good time to corner her about some things they had glossed over in the last few days since the Vic Allen Dinner. 

Also, he still never heard back from her about the articles he had sent and he was a little annoyed because he’d never send bulimia articles to anyone else. 

Especially to a woman he had fucked.

Why hadn’t she said anything?

He had even checked to make sure he hadn’t accidentally sent it to the wrong person, like Mike or something.

Would bringing up her binging and purging while they ordered food and brainstormed political strategies be off-putting or...? 

He didn’t know, but he was hungry and they had work to do, so why not kill three birds with one large, heavy stone.

“What are you doing in here?” Amy demanded when she came back into her office to find him lounging in front of her desk.

He smirked, “waiting for you, pumpkin, so we can get started. I was thinking--”

She rolled her eyes and walked toward her desk to sit down. “Maybe you should go back to your own desk.”

“Do you want to go work in there?”

“No.”

“Okay then.” he said settling into the chair and spreading out the various electronics across her desk. He felt her glaring at him, which made him smile down at the one iPad he had set down on his lap.

“Starting with--” he began.

“I just don’t see why you have to work in _my_ office. You always fucking do this. You have an office across the hallway and away from me.”

Dan looked up and made sure to make a show of rolling his eyes at her, “didn’t we have this conversation already? I know how you like to keep me close.”

“I think we work better alone.” Amy said stiffly.

“Ames, get fucking real. We’re a team. We work well together. Accept it.” he responded shortly.

He watched as she crinkled her nose and bared her teeth at him, but it made him smile all the larger. 

“So! I was thinking for Helsinki, since Mike isn’t coming that I would--”

Amy’s phone began to ring just then and she reached over for it. He listened to the one side of her conversation - it sounded like Selina with some last minute add ons -and began to type on his iPad some brainstorming ideas he had, but before he could get too far an alert about the Vic Allen Dinner came up and he let out a groan.

“Fuck.” he said just as Amy was hanging up the phone.

“What?” she asked craning her head over the desk to see what he was looking at.

“We’re getting more negative traction on this European clusterfuck.” he said gritting his teeth as he skimmed the article headlines. “It’s turning into a fucking Eurotrash snowman full of shit.”

“What do you mean?” Amy turned to her computer, began typing, and then he heard her making an annoyed sound as he continued scanning his iPad.

“Goddamn hoity-toity European fucks. If Selina sees how bad this is getting, right as we’re entering the belly of the beast…” she trailed off.

Glancing up, he watched her comb her hands through her hair and then her eyes turned steely and her face became taut as she began to brainstorm what they could do to dial it back.

“We’re going to have to issue an apology.” she muttered, “which is beyond fucking dumb when it was just a song. A funny song.” 

Dan smirked, “you liked my creative genius then? And here I thought you had missed the whole thing because you were spending _such a long time_ in the bathroom.”

She rolled her eyes and ignore him.

“Maybe we should--”

“I think that we should--” 

Amy cleared her throat as they both cut themselves off at the same time. He made a gesture for her to go on and she nodded her head.

“I think that we should issue the apology if it gains anymore traction. If it really gets out of line--”

“What’s considered to be out of line?”

“Name calling or someone really high up gets it in his or her head that we’re being intentionally malicious. Maybe Minna Häkkinen? I mean, we are going to Finland and it would be pretty fucking shitty if we started off on the wrong foot when we’re trying to build a relationship for the long-term. Plus, I mean she is hosting Selina. I mean, for now, it’s bad, but it’s not Hurricane-Katrina-looting-a-grocery-store-so-you-don’t-starve-in-a-first-world-country bad.” 

Dan considered this and then shrugged, “I mean, instead of Mike issuing the apology, it would be me, right?”

“Exactly. And we both know you’re shit with apologies.”

“Come on!”

“I’ve never heard you apologize. Do you even know how to do it?” Amy asked smirking slightly.

“I’ve apologized.” he snipped sitting back in the chair and slowly allowed a grin to spread to his lips. 

He could tell Amy was beginning to let loose a bit and it had been the first time he’d seen her smile in the last few days - even if it was only a smirk.

“Yeah, maybe when you burned a bridge and had to fuck your way back into their good graces.” Amy said laughing slightly.

He grinned, “I mean, I did fuck my way back into your good graces.”

She stopped laughing mid-sound and her good humor quickly turned sour. “Fuck off, Dan. That was a mistake. My brain malfunctioned all of the 15 minutes it took for you to hump me until you came.”

“First, it wasn’t 15 minutes.” he snapped, “Second, you said that the last time. You know what they say about mistakes and coincidences. And third--”

“No, I fucking don’t know, but I don’t really care. Us - that’s something I’m not repeating--”

“Again.”

He watched as she gritted her teeth and he wasn’t sure if he should grin at how much she was hating him discussing their hook up or be annoyed with her for dismissing it so easily. He settled on an amused look because he knew it would piss her off that he wasn’t letting it drop and he’d continue to dig into it since he hadn’t been able to the first time.

“Come the fuck on, Ames, let’s be serious.”

“I fucking am. We can’t - this shouldn’t...We should only be coworkers.” she stuttered.

“Coworkers?” he asked feeling an annoying twisting in his stomach. 

He attempted to keep the amused look on his face so she wouldn’t know how much he abhorred the idea of them just being coworkers. 

Even when they had first started, they weren’t really just _coworkers_. They were two people who had a slightly more complicated past than the average Staffers in the Veep’s office. While they worked together, they had too much playing behind the scenes to just be coworkers and for Amy to even think that they could just be such a generic word...well, it was ridiculous. 

They would never be coworkers, just like he’d never really ever be nice or she would ever be relaxed.

It just wasn’t a part of their relationship.

She nodded stiffly, “good. I’m glad you see it--”

“So you want to just ignore the fact that we fucked--”

“Yes!”

“...and that it took place in this room.”

“Dan!”

“...and I made you cum.”

“For fuck’s sake!”

“...and it wasn’t the first time.”

“Stop!”

He paused, regarding her as she tried to focus her attention on the computer and ignore him. He wondered if it was worth needling her a little more to see how far he could push her. She didn’t seem like she was even close to her breaking point, so he considered pushing one more button just to see what she would do. 

Worst case scenario she would blow up at him even more and there was just something so entertaining in watching her generally pale skin become a dusty pink, her lips curl into a snarl, and those blue eyes laser in on him as if he was the only person in the room. When Amy got angry, it was like she got tunnel vision and all of her attention was directed at him. 

It was pretty fucking hot and it was definitely one of his favorite looks on her. 

Angry Amy - maybe that’s what he should’ve told her parents when they had gone to the hospital for her dad, he mused. 

Amiable Amy had nothing on Angry Amy.

He continued to watch her attempt to ignore him in the quiet of the room. The silence in the office dragged on with the exception of the sounds of the buzzing of the lights and the distant vacuuming from a few offices down by the janitors.

Amy broke the silence by clearing her throat, but she didn’t turn from the computer. “That was the last time.”

“I don’t believe you.” he said boredly because while Amy could pretend all she wanted to herself, he knew the truth.

She couldn’t say no to him.

At least, that was something he didn’t think would ever change. 

Which is probably why he never seemed too worried when she really lost her shit at him. Or after they had slept together the first time when she had tried to ignore him. He knew it wouldn’t last. 

“Well, whether or not you believe me, it is. We just...I’m not like you.”

Dan laughed.

“I’m not! I don’t...I have emotions.”

“I think you’re more like me than you let on.”

“I’m not a sociopath.”

“But you’re not begging for a fucking cuddle and a hug right now either.”

Amy’s hand tightened on the computer mouse, “can we just get back to work?”

“I think we should see how the next few hours play out as we head to Helsinki. I think it’s going to get worse, but why jump the gun before we know the facts?” Dan said getting back to business and glossing over the previous conversation as if it never happened.

Amy nodded, “right, exactly. And just keep Selina’s public appearances simple and straightforward. No dawdling. No going off script. No answering of questions unless it’s genial.” 

He looked back down at his iPad and began to type out the beginning of some apologies, so they could be ready if it did take a dark turn, which he figured that it would. It seemed to be the theme in the Meyer Administration. 

When he glanced up to break the silence, he found Amy typing studiously away on the computer, muttering to herself. He smirked enjoying the moment of them working side-by-side on something they were both passionate about. He just hoped that Helsinki was smooth sailing, even if Amy wanted to deny what happened between them.

* * *

 

Helsinki was not smooth sailing.

Not by a long shot.

It was probably ridiculous that he thought it could be.

“...I fucking hate this country. After tonight, I’m never fucking apologizing again.” he declared as he paced the length of the hotel room. Gary and Selina were in the bathroom arguing about her probably having another cigarette or what time Selina should go to sleep for all Dan knew.

“Come on, Danteeksi, lighten up.” Amy said smirking down at her phone as she probably responded to an email or was updating Mike on what was going on in Helsinki.

He let an annoyed sound and slumped down onto the couch. He put a hand to his head and tried to get rid of his rapidly growing headache. 

“I need a fucking drink, Jesus fucking Christ.” he muttered massaging his temple.

Amy laughed softly.

As her laughter died down, they heard Gary let out a noise of panic from the bathroom and shortly after the smell of cigarette smoke wafted to them.

“Do you think we should head back to our rooms?” Amy asked coming to sit beside him on the couch.

He put his head on the back of the couch and looked over at her, taking note of the way her slinky dress moved. He allowed his eyes to roam across her facial features and then slowly moved down to stop on the cleavage that was revealed in the dress. 

He knew that she saw him checking her out because she moved her arms across her front to cover up and for a split second, he was tempted to move them away, so he could continue taking in the outfit she had donned for the night.

It wasn’t that it was out of character for her to wear what she was tonight, but she just seemed a little more...just _more_ than usual. Generally, when they went to events, she tried to blend into the background as much as possible, but tonight she seemed to really embrace being-in-another-country.

Her hair was up, her dress was fitting beautifully, and she had changed up her makeup, which really made her eyes stand out. 

“Stop.” she said glowering at him.

He gave her a wolfish grin, “stop what?”

She rolled her eyes and tightened her arms across her chest, but he couldn’t help his gaze be drawn to her cleavage.

“I fucking hate you.” she snipped moving to stand up.

He chuckled darkly, “we both know what’s not true.”

“Whatever, Danteeksi.” 

He groaned and rubbed a hand across her face, “fucking stop calling me that.”

“I think it’ll be your new nickname. Like Jonad.”

“Don’t compare me to Hepatitis J.”

Amy laughed and he couldn’t help but grin at the genuine sound. 

“I didn’t compare you. I’m just saying that you need a new nickname and what better name for you to take on than Danteeksi? I was growing tired of calling you shithead in my mind.” she said tilting her head at him and giving him a half smile.

“Because, like you said, I’m shit at apologies.” 

“So basically, it just points out your faults.”

“Come on, Ames, you and I both know that--”

Gary came hurling into the room just then making a big show of coughing and seemed to be trying to hack up a lung.

Dan had almost forgotten that they were in Selina’s hotel room and she and Gary were less than 10 feet away. 

“Selina is smoking.” Gary said unnecessarily.

Amy rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms from her chest, “and you’re what? Trying to show off your nonexistent black lung?”

“Amy, second hand smoke kills--” Gary began looking a little frustrated.

“No one gives a shit, Gary. We have enough to worry about than you whining about the Veep’s sudden desire to become a chainsmoker.” Dan said cutting him off.

Gary pouted, “you don’t even know how she can get after she stops smoking.” 

“Just give her more Ambien.” Amy said rolling her eyes.

“Ambien isn’t a cure-all medication, Amy.” Gary said emphatically.

Dan laughed cruelly and got off the couch to walk toward them, “maybe you should take an Ambien, Gary, or try the whole bottle. Let’s go, Ames, before, Gary the kassi, has a meltdown because the Veep is taking 15 minutes off her life with every cigarette she inhales.” 

Gary gasped, “You shouldn’t make fun of smoking--”

“Gary, calm down. Selina’s smoked like two cigarettes, get over it. And Dan, don’t tell me what to do. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” she said before making her way toward the hotel door.

Dan cast one last glare at Gary and then headed after her. She was already halfway to the elevators when Dan caught up to her.

“Ames.”

“No.” 

“I didn’t even say anything.”

“I’m really not in the mood. I told you earlier, if you’re going to cry about your new nickname or having to apologize for every little thing, then get away from me and this dress. It’s dryclean only.” she said pressing the button for the elevator.

Dan rolled his eyes and grabbed her shoulder to turn her toward him, “shouldn’t we start strategizing about POTUS and the spy shit? Maybe we could get a pizza? I didn’t see you eat--”

Amy gave him a dubious look, “listen, we still have an entire other dinner to get through tomorrow night and now that Selina is going on and on about the Axis Of Dick and tit fondling by a Finn, we need to focus on getting out of this hell-hole. POTUS and the spy shit can wait, it’s not like it’s public or anything. As for pizza, what the fuck? Have you apologized yourself into stupidity? It’s past midnight!” 

Dan scowled, “fine. I was just seeing if you wanted to eat. So what do we do now?”

“We get ready for tomorrow in this hellish country that is 20 degrees below a temperature I never want to live in and we hope to fucking God that this trip doesn’t get worse.

And since when do you care about someone’s eating habits other than your own?” she said simply before the elevator bell dinged and they both got in.

They silently road the elevator down to their floor and as the door opened, Amy turned to him.

“Did you really fuck your brother’s fiance?” 

Dan smirked and turned to her, making sure to wiggle his eyebrows suggestively. “What can I say, he stole my Gameboy when I was 10. Payback’s a bitch.”

She snorted and turned away from him, but he could’ve sworn he saw the ghost of a smile coming to her lips. 

“Wait! Ames!” he called after her.

She paused as she made her way toward her room.

He opened his mouth to ask her if she had eaten today or if she had gotten the articles that he’d sent several days ago at this point, but for some reason, he didn’t think the time was right. He’d tried to drop hints about it, but she seemed either too work-focused or was ignoring every one of his attempts, he really wasn’t sure. Ever since the Vic Allen Dinner, for some reason that he couldn’t comprehend, he kept focusing on Amy’s eating. He figured that maybe if he cleared the air, he’d go back to not caring. 

“Good night.” he finally said.

She gave him a slight wave with her phone-hand and then he made his way to his own room.

* * *

Dan was thankful to get back to D.C. after the shitshow. After looking up the British reporter who had become the bane of his existence in that fish-eating Indie film hell hole, he felt a bit better knowing that he wasn’t going to look as stupid as he had initially thought.

“I’m better than him anyway.” Dan muttered quiet enough that Amy was the only one who had caught it. 

She smirked and rolled her eyes at him, but he was pleased to note that she didn’t say anything contradictory.

His ego had taken enough of a hit as it.

But then she opened her mouth right as the feeling of satisfaction had settled in, “thank God, we’re getting out of Hell-can-suck-me.”

He chuckled, “that was awful.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m tired and hungry. This snow-fucking hellhole has done a number on me.” she muttered rubbing a hand over her eyes.

“I have an energy bar, if you want.” he said glancing over at Selina and Gary who had passed out a few minutes ago after Selina had talked herself out.

“No.” Amy said adamantly.

He rolled his eyes, “come on, if you’re hungry, you can have it.”

“I’m fine.” 

“Is this about what Sue said?” Dan asked.

Amy made a show of rolling her eyes, “what part of what Sue said? About me not dating or stress eating?”

“Both.” he said shrugging.

“I’m not talking about this with you.”

“Is it because I sent you those articles?”

“Fucking Christ on a Cross. No! It’s not. Just drop it. I’m not talking my dating life or eating habits with you.”

“What dating life?” Dan said laughing at his own joke.

Amy glared at him, “fuck you.” 

“What? Come on! I was joking! It’s not like you want to date anyway, right?”

Amy remained silent and avoided his eyes.

He felt that tightening sensation in his chest that he pushed back down and he wished she would meet his eyes. “What about the eating stuff?”

“What about it?” she asked nastily.

“Do you want to--”

“If you ask me if I want to talk about it with you, then I will fucking throw you off this plane the way Selina threw Jonah off. I would rather go back to that hell-frozen-over-fish-fucking-irrelevant-as-Mr-House-Speakers-lameass-conversation-attempts country than talk about one ounce of my personal life with you. ” Amy declared.

Gary snorted just then and the both of them looked over to find him cuddling up with the Leviathan.

Amy huffed and stood up, “don’t pretend like you care, Dan. Stay out of my life.”

“I think it’s a bit hard for that when we see each other every day.” he said sharply.

“Well then act on that boredom that’s been eating away at you and get another hobby besides harassing me. Just don’t lecture me--”

“I wasn’t fucking lecturing you! I was just sending you some articles. What’s the big fucking deal? And I figured since I tell you about my dating life--”

“Telling me which lobbyist or PR rep you fucked this week isn’t a dating life, Dan. Just...don’t bring it up again.” she said and then she grabbed her stuff and headed to another part of the plane.

He stared after her confused as to what had just happened. He was only trying to show that he cared whether her teeth rooted out of her head from stomach acid or she fainted in the middle of a big meeting. It wasn’t like he wanted to be the one to take her to the hospital if something did happen, especially if they were in an important meeting. 

Monday morning meetings he wouldn’t care if she fainted, especially because it would get them out of listening to Gary detail any of Selina’s sex-ploits or have him discuss what hat or lipstick shade he had picked out for Selina while Selina went on a rant about the latest media blowout.

He contemplated going after her, but decided she was probably PMSing or something, which is why she freaked out on him. He figured she’d forget all about it tomorrow and she’d finally come around to see that he was only trying to make her life better by being a good friend. It wasn’t like he wanted to find out what working without her would be like because she dropped dead of a heart attack from bulimia. 

Rolling his eyes and putting his headphones in to listen to a political podcast, he knew that Amy would be bothering him first thing in the morning with some shit about Helsinki. After all, they still had some strategizing to do now that they had entered this clusterfuck thanks to Kent and Mike and - fuck, even POTUS. Obviously, he and Amy were the only two who could strategize the fuck out of their current political herpes outbreak to figure out the best way to deal with the spy story Kent had leaked. 


	7. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan gets jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know it's been awhile. I wanted to update before the series finale, but I couldn't finish the chapter. Lack of inspiration I guess...it's difficult to write Dan right now. And then I procrastinated with another story and then a one shot...so here we are. This is the second Dan's POV chapter and then we're back to alternating. I hope you guys still like the story, even though the series has ended and we got a bit of a disappointing ending I'm going to finish writing it. Although, it might not be 100 percent what I had been planning in the beginning, but we'll see where the story takes us. Let me know what you guys think!

“Okay, team, I need ideas...for Catherine’s birthday.” Selina said looking at them all expectantly with her hands clasped in front of her.

The entire team was in the Veep’s office poised for their usual daily meeting. Mike sat in a chair with a coffee mug in one hand and the rest of his breakfast in the other, his notepad balanced haphazardly in his lap. Gary hovered near Selina ready to dig into the Leviathan for anything she needed at a moment’s notice. Amy sat next to Dan on the couch with her cell clutched in her phone-hand and a cup of coffee resting on the table in front of them. Even Ben was lingering in the doorway, his big mug in the right hand and his cellphone in the other. He seemed to be only paying half-attention to what was going on Dan noted as he watched him take a large gulp out of the mug.

They had been called into a meeting with Selina - unsurprisingly - to discuss the current events that had been going on in the last few days since they had gotten back from Helsinki i.e. the shitstorm they were currently weathering. At least that had been Dan’s impression until Selina had brought up Catherine’s birthday.

Dan frowned, “isn’t this supposed to be a meeting about Helsinki and the sp--”

“Yes, _but also_ , Catherine’s birthday is coming up and...well, I don’t know what to do.” Selina said throwing her hands in the air and going to lean against the edge of her desk.

Gary took a step closer to her and began rummaging in the Leviathan no doubt about to provide her with some of her self-described ‘happy pills.’ 

Dan watched as the rest of the room squirmed and he wondered if this was a consistent thing when it came to Catherine’s birthdays. 

As if reading his mind, Mike spoke up.

“Catherine can be...well her birthdays can be…” he trailed off and looked at Selina nervously.

Selina sighed heavily, “Catherine, is difficult. Let’s just put it that way. No matter how her birthday turns out, well, it’s never right for her. Last year, her father and I took her on a cruise--”

“Which ended up with her getting sea sick the entire time.” Gary pipped in.

“Understandable.” Dan muttered earning a weird look from Amy.

“And then the year she turned 18, we took her to Mexico--”

“Where you got sucked into political talks about the border--” Amy cut in.

“Right, which she--” Selina paused to take a sip of her coffee that Gary handed her, “got upset about because I wasn’t supposed to be working.”

“You were trying to win over the public.” Gary said emphatically rolling his eyes exaggeratedly.

Dan frowned, “so Catherine has unlucky birthdays?”

Selina moved her hands in a kinda motion as Gary nodded aggressively behind her.

“Yes.” Mike said vehemently earning a glare from Selina.

Dan ran a hand through his hair, “so this year has to be epic, huh?”

Selina’s eyes brightened and she looked at Dan as if seeing him in a whole new light, “epic?”

Dan looked over at Amy who was on her phone and making mocking faces at it, which meant that he knew he was winning Selina over with his chosen word. It was a buzzword right now and he was definitely a fan of it. He was lucky to find that Selina was too. 

“Well, yeah, it’s her 21st birthday, so, you know, she wants to have a good time, right?” Dan said shrugging and allowed a smirk to come to his lips since he could see Selina getting more excited.

“I love this. Of course, it needs to be _epic_. What else makes a birthday party epic?” Selina asked looking ecstatic.

“Ames, can you write this down?” she added looking over at Amy who was looking annoyed and tense beside him. He gave her a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin, which made her scowl at him. 

His smile just got wider. 

“Sure, ma’am.” she said and Dan handed her the iPad that was resting on the coffee table in front of him.

“Since you don’t have a pen and paper.” he said at her irritated look.

She glared at him, but took the iPad anyway, “okay, what do you want me to write down?”

“Well, what makes an epic party?”

The room filled with silence.

“Balloons are always fun. And fireworks.” Mike said eventually.

“Alcohol.” Ben called from the corner as he sipped from his mug.

“A DJ?” Amy added looking a little lost, which Dan didn’t blame her for since planning parties were best left up to Gary and a parade of two brain-celled Barbie types.

“Right, all of the above.” Selina said, “except fireworks because what the fuck, Mike? This isn’t my campaign announcement or July 4th. This is just Catherine’s birthday party.

Nothing major, but also, it needs to be epic. I need to make sure she has fun because...well, because you know how she gets.” Selina made a face, which Dan figured was either supposed to be Catherine or a sign that Selina had to use the bathroom.

“Okay, right, so what else?” she said when no one said anything else.

“You know, ma’am, the stuff with Helsinki--” Amy attempted to say, but Selina waved a hand as if to ask her to stop talking.

“I know, I know. I just...it’s next week and Catherine and Andrew have been asking me what’s going on. Apparently, Catherine sent out all of her little invitations and her friends are asking her about it, but besides booking the venue nothing has been planned.” Selina said. 

“Don’t you have a planner who is supposed to do all of this for you?” Dan asked confused.

“You mean, Gary?” Ben called from the corner as he chortled to himself.

Dan smirked as Selina began to talk. 

“Yeah, I just have to make a list of things I want, but I need to make sure that it’s...Dan, what was the word you used again?”

“Epic.”

“Right, epic. Or else it’ll be another thing for Catherine to hold against me. And fuck knows she’s been collecting, cataloging, and complaining about that shit with her therapist.” Selina said rolling her eyes.

Dan laughed under his breath and glanced over at Amy who was typing diligently on his iPad.

“Right, so just add epic decorations to the list, Ame, and we’ll get started on the real business.” Selina said pacing the length of the room.

“Don’t forget cake, Amy!” Mike called out.

Dan simpered as Amy rolled her eyes, but he watched her type it out.

“Right, now that that’s out of the way. Let’s get down to saving the first world. Now, Mike, tell me what’s going on--”

“The press conference is scheduled for Thursday to discuss Helsinki and we’ll touch on the budget talks. I’ve been working on potential answers to give to make sure it goes smoothly, especially because Leon West will be there.” he interrupted with confidence. 

Dan could tell that Mike was feeling good about being back where he belonged i.e. fucking up communications for Team Meyer. Although, he had really hated being in Mike’s shoes, so even though he’d never say it outloud, he was glad that Mike was back from Numbers Camp as he had called the hell he had endured thanks to Kent. He made a mental note to never have to take Mike’s place again, which meant that Mike could never get fired. Dan doubted he’d get fired anyway since Mike had fucked up so many times he seemed to be invincible much like his stomach had to be after the way Dan had seen him shovel half-edible cuisine into the gaping hole that was his mouth.

“Good, good. And Amy, do we have everything we need to negotiate with Mary King?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s saved in the cloud. I just need to go over it with you before you meet with her.” Amy said typing away on the iPad.

“Great, okay.” Selina paused, “alright. Dan, Mike, could you please come up with a plan to avoid talking about the spy story at the press conference? And...I think that’s all.” 

They waited as she squinted her eyes and seemed to rack her brain for something to add. “Right, okay, well, let’s all get to work and make today an _epic_ day.” she chortled to herself as they all began to head back to their desks.

Dan made sure to walk slowly so Amy could catch up to him.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t break your precious iPad.” she said handing it forcefully back to him.

“I didn’t think you did.” he said taking it in one hand and casually glancing at it just to make sure she hadn’t.

She rolled her eyes when she saw what he was doing, but he just grinned in response.

“Just had to check.”

“Of course.”

She strolled past Sue’s and Gary’s desks then headed to hers across the hall. Instead of going to his own workspace, he followed after her earning him a strange look. 

“Why are you following me?”

“I just had a question for you.”

“Oh?” she asked with mild interest as she sat down behind her desk.

He glanced around her office and with relief, found it was empty. “Did Selina just call us in there to brainstorm about Catherine’s birthday?”

Amy smirked slightly, “yeah, she did.”

“Is that common?”

She shrugged, “I guess. I never really gave it much thought. She usually asks us what to get her for presents or what our opinions are about birthday shit. I mean...they have a weird relationship.”

Dan snorted, “Obviously.”

He paused as Amy began to get to work. After a few minutes and he hadn’t seemed to make an attempt to leave, she looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“Is there something else?”

“Uh, yeah. What should I get her?”

She gave him a genuine smile and he couldn’t help but return it.

“Flowers, I guess. Nothing too fancy. She’s not...well, she’s not really into ‘epic.’” she said making air quotes around ‘epic.’ 

He gave her a sheepish look, “okay.” 

She nodded and began to look through a pile of papers that were on her desk. When he still hadn’t moved from his spot of hovering over her, she sighed heavily and looked up at him with increased impatience.

“Dan?”

“I was thinking, maybe we could get a bite to eat or a drink or something, you know, to discuss Helsinki and just...strategize.” he bite out sounding a lot more unsure of himself than he initially had intended.

Amy blinked, “yeah, sure. Just let me know when.”

“Yeah, yeah. Gotta get a head start before another monumental fuck up comes our way.” he said jokingly.

Amy laughed, “and with our luck it’ll probably happen in the next few days.”

He gave her a wide smile, shrugged, and then finally left her alone in the office. He ignored the ecstatic feeling in his chest the rest of the day.

* * *

 

The moment he got to Catherine’s birthday party he headed toward the bar. After meeting the sorry excuse of a date Amy had brought with her to the birthday party - when she could’ve spent the entire night with him getting shit faced and mocking people - he knew he was going to need some serious alcohol. However, the bartender was catering to way too many other people and wasn’t filling up his glass fast enough, so instead of waiting for the fresh-faced fucker to serve him, he went behind the bar to grab the bottle of scotch he had drank most of already.

He watched from his seat at the bar as _Ed_ and Amy dancing awkwardly. For some reason, he was feeling a burning sensation in his gut. He blamed it on the lack of eating he had done before starting to drink, but somewhere deep in his brain he knew that wasn’t the case. 

He didn’t understand why Amy hadn’t even come over to say hello to him. They had already been at the party for two hours too many and she couldn’t even bother to come over to say ‘hi?’ 

He knew that conversation with that jaundice-looking fuckwad was probably as boring as listening to Catherine describe her dance theater performances...or was it interpretive dance that she majored in? 

Regardless, he knew that he was a better conversationalist than _Ed_. Amy should be giving him a signal to rescue her not be laughing in a very un-Amy like way at whatever stupid joke the sallowed-glue-eater may have made.

He swore that besides for him, Amy had the worst taste in men.

Granted, he probably shouldn’t be this worked up when they had spent the whole day together and then they had ridden over in the same limo - scratch that, he wasn’t worked up, _at all_ , he just couldn’t believe her fucking _audacity_ \- but she couldn’t even bother to come over and keep him company. Besides, wasn’t it Amy who had said she’d never date anyone in the D.C. political game or who worked for Selina? She had told him once that she’d never date anyone in D.C. and now here she was being a fucking hypocrite. He may have made up the working for Selina part, but he knew the D.C. part was true.

Why was she here with Ed anyway?

He was...he was nothing. 

He was an overgrown extra from Revenge Of the Nerds.

He was so beneath Amy that Dan couldn’t even understand why she was wasting her time with this baby-dick-looking-elephantine-hemophiliac. 

Also, she had promised a night out with him, Dan, not that fucking monotonous mammoth. 

And he wanted to cash in on his not-date _today_ , at Catherine’s bday. 

Since hearing about it and then learning it was mandatory to go, he knew it would be the perfect set up for him and Amy. What better way than to spend the evening with a bunch of teeny-boppers than getting trashed on free booze and mocking everyone? 

If he got her in the right mood too, he bet that they could’ve headed back to his place...but now, here he was alone at the worst party he’d been to since he was forced to go to Bar Mitzvahs for his classmates at 13 because his parents didn’t want everyone to think they were anti-semitic. 

He had asked her a week ago to go for drinks, but now she was here with this Ed guy? What the fuck? 

She owed him drinks and dinner and a discussion about Helsinki. If she started dating this fucker, would she just start ditching him for Ed the gyrating sexual harassment lawsuit? 

He blamed fucking Sue for this.

It was Sue’s fucking fault that he was in this situation - getting drunk at a 21 year old’s birthday party alone.

What really pissed him off was that he couldn’t seem to feel any better about what was going on. He couldn’t even hit on anyone because then he’d be just like Jonad trying to pick up barely legal girls.

But on the other hand, at least he could be entertained by Jonah’s attempts of flirtation and the look of disgust the girl gave when he said something particularly grotesque.

Besides, it wasn’t like any of these girls could help his career anyway. 

So his solution was to just drink the pain away and thankfully, there was a surplus of alcohol.

Even if Ben was also trying to drink the bar.

But that didn’t make the anxious and frustrated feelings go away every time he looked over at Amy tilting her head up at that pale-faced-dead-eyed-fundraiser-fuck.

If Sue had never fucking said what she had at the Vic Allen Dinner, then this wouldn’t be happening and Amy would be right next to him drinking instead of over on the dance floor with Ed.

Maybe they would even enjoy a few dances together...but Dan pushed that thought away as he took a long sip of his drink and forced himself into trying not to glare across the dance floor at them.

“Wow, Dan, who sucked your cock wrong?” Jonah asked coming over to him.

Dan scowled even more and took a long drink from the bottle, “fuck off, Jonah.” 

Jonah laughed and leaned on the counter beside him. “Come on, man, you look pretty upset.”

“I’m not upset.”

“Well, you _look_ upset.”

“I’m fucking not upset.”

“Well, you loo--”

“Jonah, get it through your thick fucking skull. I am not fucking upset about anything. I am the fucking Iceman.”

Jonah stared at him, took a sip of his drink, and then cleared his throat. “Okay, but you look upset.”

Dan gritted his teeth. “Can’t you go bother Mike or something?”

“Mike’s over there bothering Amy. Hey! Is this about Amy dating that prepubescent looking motherfucker?” Jonah asked seriously.

Dan would give his left nut if Jonah would go the fuck away from him and never return. He wasn’t in the mood to talk about Amy dating anyone or bringing a guy to Catherine’s birthday party. He didn’t even know why Jonah thought he was upset about anything. He definitely didn’t care if Amy was over there while he was over here, alone and drinking with Jonah. “It’s not about anything.”

Jonah let a slow smile come to his lips, “yeah, sure. Cause you always look like you’re about to murder your ex’s new boyfriend.” 

Dan glowered at him, “can’t you just go put your head in an oven?”

“Do you want me to go find out the deal with that douchebag and Amy?”

Dan said nothing and instead sipped on his drink. He didn’t care what Jonah did as long as it was far away from him.

Jonah nodded slowly, “I get it. I’ll let you know what the deal is. I’ll be right back.”

Dan almost reached out for him to stop, but then he figured at least he was gone and he could continue drinking in peace. 

That was until Mike came over with a concerned look on his face. Could he not get two seconds without anyone bothering him? Did he need to up the ante on his insults to make people leave him the fuck alone? What would it take for people to just stop wanting to talk to him about nonsensical bullshit? 

He swore that if Mike asked him about Amy he was going to take the nearest piece of food and shove it down his throat.

“Maybe you should slow down?” He suggested.

Dan groaned, “can’t you just go eat a piece of cake?”

“Wait, the cake has been cut?” Mike asked in surprise.

“Yeah, go get a piece.” Dan said nastily.

Mike blinked, but he left in search of cake, which allowed Dan to finally have a moment by himself.

Now, he really was alone. 

And Amy was across the room with fucking _Ed_.

* * *

 

As Selina began to talk about being quiet or something, Dan realized he was drunk, which didn’t really bode well for those around him. 

He had enjoyed most of the bottle of scotch he’d swiped from the bar and had spent a majority of the party meandering around and making snide comments to people or sitting on a stool listening to Jonah and Mike alternate between meaningless conversations such as who was the better superhero and whether Jonah could stick 10 of the little fruit tart horsdeavors in his mouth at one time. 

He knew he was pretty far gone when he caught himself actively looking for Mike for company as Selina finished up her speech. He knew Mike had gone to get another piece of cake and Jonah went to go hit on some 21 year olds.

He wondered briefly when Jonah and Mike had become his sought after company and then his eyes strayed to Amy who was drinking in the corner with Ed and he realized that was when he found himself with J-tard and Cow Eyes.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough.” Mike had said through a mouthful of cake.

“Go fuck your boat.” Dan slurred narrowing his eyes at Mike.

Mike blinked and took another bite of the cake. “I stand by my previous statement, especially if you’re bringing my boat into this. Also, you already gave me that insult, so I know you’re pretty fucking buttered up.”

“What the fuck? Buttered up? What does that mean?”

“Drunk, Dan, it means 100 percent white girl wasted.” Mike said laughing to himself.

“How many pieces of cake have you eaten, Mike?” Dan said snidely.

Mike ate another piece of cake obnoxiously and said something that Dan couldn’t make out thanks to the carbs and the sugar.

He decided to walk away and go find another bottle of alcohol before he had to head home for the night. 

The moment he realized he probably should stop drinking was when he told Jonah that they should hang out after the taller man had reported back to Dan about how Ed just seemed stupid and was taking antibiotic pills.

Or maybe Jonah was taking pills.

He didn’t really understand over the lingering notes of rap music the DJ was still playing even though all of the 21 year olds had left.

Regardless, whomever was taking antibiotics, he hoped that Amy made sure Ed or whatever wrapped that shit.

 _Ugh God Amy_...was she really going to have sex with that?

Had he even lost his virginity?

The annoyance that he had been feeling all night toward her escalated and he looked around to tell her that she was being a fucking bitch, but when he didn’t find her from his position off to the side of the dance floor, he began to wander through the party. He slipped past the stranglers of meaningless people, most of whom were there because they missed the message to go to the bars or because they were Ben’s people. 

He narrowed his eyes when he saw a short blonde woman, but he realized it was just one of the analyst. Feeling frustrated, he began to strategize what he wanted to tell her about her new boy toy. He’d make sure to reiterate how he was a total waste of space and she should make sure to not fuck him because he was on antibiotics. 

He’d work on the wording before it poured out of his mouth.

Dan chuckled to himself as he thought of Ed having an advanced case of chlamydia and took a long last sip out of the scotch bottle before depositing it in the trash. 

He had found himself outside of the party and near the coat room. 

How did he end up outside of the party?

He shook his head and took out his phone to call an Uber, but as his phone swam in front of his vision, he decided to find somewhere to sit so he could concentrate on working the app.

Stumbling as he walked forward, he reached out to the tiny blonde who was in front of him to stabilize him. 

Even with hazy eyes, he could tell that it was the one person who he was looking for and the only one who hadn’t come over to him all night. 

He had finally found her.

“Amy.” he slurred.

The tiny blonde turned around and glared up at him. He blinked slowly his brain not computing that the woman in front of him was actually not who he was looking for.

He probably should’ve stopped drinking before he started hallucinating Amy’s face on random women.

“Who the fuck are you?” the woman asked when he tried to steady himself against her shoulder.

“I’m - I’m looking for--”

“Dan? Are you harassing 21 year olds now?” A shrill voice came from behind him.

He felt his lips break out into a grin and he turned away from the other woman to find Amy in front of him. She was swaying in his vision, but it was her. 

He could tell because her hands were on her hips and she was looking at him with a mix of exasperation and annoyance on her face.

Also, he had never seen any other woman’s shoulders as tense as hers nor the way her hands threatening to squeeze the life out of her phone in that particular Amy-way. 

“No.” he said ardently.

She narrowed her eyes at him and he reached for her because for some reason he needed to touch her right now. She saw what he was doing though and moved quickly out of the way, so he stumbled and nearly falling head first into the wall.

“Jesus fucking a cross, are you drunk? You know we still have to work tomorrow, right? It’s not _your_ goddamn birthday.”

He grunted in response as he tried to focus. 

“Fucking Christ.” she muttered and then she grabbed his arm and moved them into a room near the coat closet. She pushed him in and he realized that they were in the handicapped bathroom. He leaned against the wall and ran a hand across his face to try to sober up a bit and to focus his vision so there weren’t two Amy’s yelling at him and instead only one.

“How much did you have to drink?” she demanded.

“Jesus fuck, Amy. Chill out.” he slurred as he focused on her.

“Why are you this drunk anyway?”

“Why the fuck not?” he snarled back.

He watched as she crossed her arms and glared at him. He rolled his eyes in response and stood up straighter against the wall attempting to appear sober.

“Do you need someone to take you home?” 

“Are you offering?”

Amy snorted, “no. I’ll have Gary do it or Mike. Gary never drinks at these things and Mike is high off of sugar, so you should be fine. Although, if you give me your phone, I’ll call an Uber.”

He tried to hide the disappointment he felt.

“Seriously, Dan--”

“What do you see in Ed?” he blurted out.

By Amy’s look of surprise, he knew that he’d caught her off guard.

“Why are you asking me this?”

“Why aren’t you answering the question?” Dan countered. 

She blinked rapidly and then moved as far away from him as she could get. “What Sue said at the Vic Allen Dinner just...stuck with me. I need to date.”

“And the human jizzstain is your solution?”

“I thought you were happy for me?”

“Happy for you?” he asked in annoyance, “how can I be happy for you when you’re ditching me to go hang out with Ed The Gyrating Giraffe?”

“Wow, green isn’t your color.”

He laughed darkly, “you think I’m jealous?”

“Yes! All night all I’ve gotten is people coming over to me to tell me how jealous you are about me being with Ed.”

“Is that why you did it? To get back at me for dumping you.”

“First of all, _I_ dumped _you_ \--”

“Actually--”

“And second, this has nothing to do with you.”

“Yeah, fucking right. Cause you just decided to up and date someone--”

“I did!”

“This has everything to do with me and how I won’t commit to you.”

He watched as Amy’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” she asked staring at him in awe.

He frowned not remembering what he had just said, “what?”

“You think that me dating Ed is about you? If I didn’t think you were a narcissistic dipshit before, then I for sure do now. Ed is nothing like you, thank fuck for that. I decided to date Ed because of the fact _he’s not like you_. Sue was right. I can’t just wait around for...I need someone who will actually care if I dropped dead and not just use me for...whatever.” she seethed.

He blinked as Amy’s face wavered in front of his face. He was a lot more drunk than he thought he was. Unfortunately, as most of the other things around them faded in and out of his vision, Amy’s face - while moving and doubling before his eyes - was way too clear and blazed into his mind. 

“What does that even mean?”

“I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“Why not?” he whined.

“You’re drunk and I don’t want to waste my time.” 

“You always think the worst of me.” he whined.

She rolled her eyes, “because you literally are the worst. You are shit, Dan. I don’t know how many times I can tell you that until it sticks in your head.”

“I’m shit? Really? Well, what about you, _Amy_?”

“What about me?”

“You’re shit too. You think you’re so much better than me? We’re the same, you and I.”

“No we’re not.”

“Yes, we are.”

“No, we aren’t.”

“Yes, we are. Jesus, you really think that I’m different than you? That when I use people to get to where I want--”

“You make women believe you want to be with them, so you can get what you want.”

He snorted, “not all the time. Some of them know exactly what they are getting into.”

“And that’s better?”

“Look, we’re the same. We both use people--”

“That’s not true.”

“Then why are you with Ed?”

“What do you mean why am I with Ed? Because I like Ed.” 

Dan rolled his eyes so hard at that and walked around in a tiny circle, which was a mistake because he was beginning to feel a bit nauseous. “You cannot tell me that with a straight face.”

“I just did.”

“You think that I’m the worst person and that I’ll fuck you over, but Amy, that’s exactly what you’re going to do fucking...shit, Greg. You’re using him!” He said looking at her a little maniacally.

“It’s _Ed_. And no I won’t.” she paused, “and I don’t know why I’m having this conversation with you. I know better than to take into consideration your advice. Because of our past, I know that whatever you do, you’ll fuck me over. It’s just who you are. I need a healthy relationship in my life, Dan, and you’re not it. So I decided to find someone who…” she trailed off.

“Who what?” he asked wanting to know what she was going to say.

“Who will...care about me. You’re never going to care about me, Dan. I know that, so I don’t know why you’re getting so upset right now.” 

They fell into silence each feeling deflated from the conversation.

“I do care about you.” he said so quietly he wasn’t sure if she had heard it.

He was amazed when she cracked a smile.

“No, Dan, you care about _you_. This conversation just proved that.”

And with that she left the bathroom.

For the first time all night, he actually felt alone.

* * *

 

The birds chirping outside of his window were way too loud as Dan cracked an eyelid open. He felt an uncomfortable churning in his stomach and he wondered if he was going to get sick. 

“Fuck.” he muttered wiping a hand across his face and then reaching for his phone. He had a few text messages from Mike to see if he got home okay and one from Amy telling him that Selina expected him at 9 am sharp.

He groaned when he saw that it was 7 and he needed to start getting ready for the day. For a moment, he considered calling off sick, but he knew that he’d get in trouble if he did. Everyone probably saw him get shitfaced and the last thing he needed was a reputation as a drunk. 

He racked his mind back to last night to remember exactly what had happened, but he just remembered bits and pieces. Last night was a hodgepodge of random memories that didn’t exactly make that much sense. 

What he did remember was Amy and Ed, which was a shame because he was pretty sure he was trying to drink away that image. 

He also remembered talking to Mike about Batman, Spiderman, and Aquaman and he had a vague memory of Jonah talking to him through, like, six fruit tarts in his mouth and going into a coughing fit.

As he got out of the shower and began his routine of creams and cologne, he heard his cell phone ring.

When he saw the caller I.D., he smirked and picked up the phone.

“Are you calling to make sure I’m not late? I’m so happy you care.” he asked.

“No. I’m calling because Selina wanted me to tell you that we’re having a late night tonight, so cancel whatever virgin sacrifice you’re planning. We have to go to dinner with Andrew, Catherine, and her.”

“What? How many birthday parties does this kid need?” Dan asked as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

“I guess last night wasn’t a success.” Amy said shortly.

“It seemed okay.”

She snorted, “yeah well you were wasted.” 

“I wasn’t that drunk.”

“Dan, Mike told me you ate his slice of cake off his plate with your hands and you told Jonah you guys should hang out. Not to mention, you tried to attack some poor 21 year old girl who you thought looked like me.” 

Dan paused as he tried to think about what she was saying. Even if he did remember any of that, he wasn’t going to admit to it. As he thought about what she had said though, he did remember a vague conversation between them in a large, white bathroom. His stomach sank as he remembered questioning her about Ed and he thanked whatever luck was on his side that she hadn’t brought that one up. Maybe she was as disturbed, just like he was at reliving the memory.

“I don’t remember any of that.”

There was silence on Amy’s end.

“Whatever. I’ll see you at 9.”

“Wait!” he paused not knowing what to say next, “did I do anything embarrassing?”

He heard Amy let out a little laugh, but it trickled out and they fell into silence. Finally she said, “no.”

“Oh, good.” he said as the memory of cornering her in the bathroom became clearer. Maybe she had been drunk too...or maybe she just didn’t want to talk about it. 

“Goodbye, Dan.” 

She hung up the phone and he continued to stare at himself in the mirror trying to bring up every single detail from the night before. After a few minutes, he went back to getting ready, but he kept replaying last night with a rising sense of anxiety. 

He decided then to just avoid Amy as much as possible because he wasn’t sure how to react to what he had said last night and it seemed that neither did she. 

It was easier to ignore it, like they had when they slept together.

Although, he found that a bit easier to swallow than discussing their feelings or lack there of for each other.

When he got into work later that day, he tried to keep his distance and when they were at dinner that night with Ed and Jonah and Gary and every other fucker in D.C., he actually tried to network with Ed, which for him was almost like getting to know him, but all he could see was a waste of space and he kept replaying Amy’s words from the night before about wanting someone who cared.

Which was probably how he ended up waking up on the morning of the Shutdown with another hangover and a decision to find a new job because he just couldn’t deal with Team Meyer’s bullshit anymore. 

This was in no way a reflection of any lingering feelings he may have for Amy, but a realization that working with Selina was just going down hill, when he really wanted to go up to the fucking top. 

Obviously, the Shutdown showed him that and not any other reason. And thus, he began to reach out his feelers through D.C. and see what lay in store for his future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making up insults for Ed in Dan's head was more fun then I thought it would be...


End file.
